The Return of Lord Shen
by Synchronized Harmony
Summary: He was exiled. He returned. He made war. He was defeated. He died...or did he?
1. The panda has an appetite

The Return of Lord Shen

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story.

Lord Shen, the Peacock, that insidious would-be ruler of China, was defeated in battle with the Dragon Warrior, a panda by the name of Po. Shen, who went to such trouble to change his fate, was utterly destroyed by his own attempt to change his destiny. This is what people know. What people do not know, is that this is not the end of the story. Shen's tale was not over yet.

* * *

It was a bright, sunny day in the Valley of Peace, a place of, well, peace. It was the perfect place to raise a family, for quiet reflection, or just to visit for a holiday. The townsfolk who live in the little village nestled in the valley were quiet, respectful, and generally friendly. It still had it's bumps and bad times, but overall, it was an idyllic place to live. Indeed, it was very well protected by some of the greatest heroes of China, the Furious Five, who were deeply responsible for Lord Shen's demise.

One place in this village in particular deserves our attention, a small shop by the name of Dragon warrior noodles and Tofu. It was here that Po, the dragon warrior, was raised by the good-hearted goose, Mr ping. As a matter of fact, that is where Po is now, enjoying some of his adoptive father's prize-winning noodles. This is where we shall join him, so keep reading!

* * *

Chapter One

"These noodles are great!" Po exclaimed, "So much better than mine!"

"Oh no Po! You know I can't stand flattery! Besides, I made this soup extra special for you as a reward for saving china!" Mr Ping, an avid salesgoose who preferred not to lose money any way he could help it, was taking a big risk by letting his starving son eat free. So far, Po had managed to eat his way through 54 dollars and 89 cents worth of food.  
"Don't stop eating son!" he said, "I can't stand someone going hungry in my restaurant!"

Po followed his fathers advice with pleasure. His two favorite activities were eating and Kung Fu training. As he ate, he spoke thoughtfully between mouthfuls.

"You know dad," he said, "I've been thinking."

Mr Ping paused from chopping onions to answer. "What about, Po?"

Po answered, swallowing another mouthful of soup. "I have learned a lot lately. First I learned about Kung Fu, then I learned that you only have to believe for something to be special for it to be special."- Here Po swallowed down more soup and continued- "But something doesn't seem right about that!, I mean, if you really believed that you wouldn't fall over a cliff, say, and then you walked over the cliff, you would still fall!"

Mr Ping looked up from his onions to ask a question. "Po, just what are you trying to say?"

Po had finished his soup. Pushing his bowl away and leaning back in his chair, he answered, "I'm not sure. Perhaps I'm trying to say that there may be a secret ingredient, something that we can believe in. For instance, if my person who walked off the cliff had a bridge to walk over, his faith would shift from himself being able to fly over the cliff, to believing that the bridge would hold him up. And that's a lot more worthwhile than believing that you would fly."

Mr Ping quacked. "That is a very interesting observation, son!" He poured his onions into the soup bowl and began on his carrots. "Would you like some more soup? I'm making some special!"

Po raised his head excitedly. "Must you even ask?" he pulled his bowl towards himself and impatiently waited. As he waited, he continued talking.

"I have also learned that it is very important to let go of the bad decisions or events in your past. I learned that you have forget them, and learn from them in the future, and-"

Po was interrupted by a delicious smell coming out of the pot. "Mmmmmmmm... What did you put in that?" he asked.

Mr Ping smiled. "A secret blend of spices which I will not tell you!"

"Awwww, why do you have so many secrets from me? That smell is making me drool!"

"Because Po, you are my son, and I love you, but you cannot keep a secret! I was talking to Ms. Chow, and she revealed that the whole village knows that I have no secret ingredient in my secret ingredient soup! Now how could she know that, hm?" He looked very hard at Po.

"Errr...um..., it may have slipped out, some..where... but I won't tell this one! Promise!"

Mr Ping answered gravely. "Ahh Po, as the wise man once said, "He who betrayeth the trust of his father with a secret should not be given another" I can't give you this, because it really has a secret ingredient, and if it got out, I would be RUINED! Ruined, I tell you, and I should know something about being ruined too, because have almost been ruined a few times, you know, like ,when you ate all my bamboo furniture or, or munched your way into Ms Yow's prize veggies..."

As he was talking, Po was getting hungrier and hungrier. By the time he was finished, Po was practically rolling on the floor in agony. Mr Ping finally noticed his sons predicament, and generously poured out a large helping into Po's bowl. Po's eyes gleamed with anticipation, he dug his spoon in, raised up to his mouth, and stuffed a large helping down his throat.

A minute later he was clutching his neck and gagging heavily. Mr Ping watched as Po threw himself into the well, chugging up as much water as he could get.

"Po! What's wrong?" Mr Ping asked in consternation, running to the well's rim. "Didn't you like the soup?"

Po gasped, sputtered, and finally answered. "No, the-the soup was good! I-I just wasn't expecting it to be so HOT! But the soup was g-great!"

"Oh good!" he said, "Goodness gracious Po, get out of that well!"

As Po struggled to get out of the well, he could vaguely hear a customer asking what was going on. He heard the customer sniffing the air, and crawled out just in time to see his dad sell the bowl of soup to the customer.

Mr Ping turned to Po, and helped him up.

"So what were you saying again, Po? About the choices?"

Po, eager for any chance to share his knowledge, was glad to comply.

"Well", said Po, finding a chair to sit on, " I said that I learned that you have to learn from the bad things in your life to help you make good decisions now, and that's what I did! Shen learned the same thing"-,

Mr Ping shuddered at the thought of the peacock, whose two ambitions in life were to take over China and kill Po.

Po continued, "Shen learned the same thing, but didn't apply it. He, in the end, refused to change, and now, it's too late..."

Po grew silent, remembering the last moments of Lord Shen Lee Han, the anguish in his voice, the rage in eyes, and his grave resignation to death. Po felt just a twinge sad, despite Shen's rampage against his race. Perhaps it was because he has so very young when it happened, so he did not remember his father as well as he should, nor his mothers gentle touch. Or perhaps it was because he was a naturally forgiving type. He knew, that if Shen had repented, asked for forgiveness, he would have been forgiven. It was too late now.

Po had been leaning farther and farther back in his chair as he thought, and now the chair fell backwards with a crash!. Po's bowl went over his face. Po looked up, pulling the bowl off his head, and saw Mr Ping exclaiming

"Oh Po, you are just too funny!"

* * *

_Authors note: I have several chapters of this story already written out, but i want to finish it, so I wont update as often as i could. This story will be LONG, so a slow start._

Feel free to review!


	2. Training and a mission

Chapter Two

The room was full of the sounds of battle, shouts, swishing of blades, thudding of punches, even the occasional cry of pain. However, if you were to enter the room, you would soon see that all was not as it ... Sounded.

There was no heated battle going on in the room. The furious five and Po were training in the training hall, a ingenious room filled with all kinds of devilish devises to test the Kung Fu masters strength, speed, and agility.

Master Tigress, the leader of the furious five, was "playing" with a device which resembled a power crane and a battle mace. She dodged, weaved and struck, easily avoiding the spiky, iron-plated balls which swung from the ceiling.

Masters Crane and Monkey were standing on a rotatating, spinning ...turtle? as flying steel blades swished past, training their balance and agility.

Master Viper was sitting on a bed... Which spouted fire! she weaved back and forth, her eyes flashing with the reflected glare of the searing inferno.

Dragon Warrior Po was training his strength, by trying to escape from a forest of wooded crocodiles, which he had trapped himself in. He bravely struggled, fought and punched, but the wooden crocs were heartless. They beat him, they mauled him, then they kicked him out and left him for dead.

As he lay there, life draining from him, he could hear the faded voices of his Comrades, imploring him to live.

He heard Master Monkey saying, "Poor Po, I guess I'll take his food at lunch."

Master Tigress whispered softly, "I guess I'll eat him, make up for all the meals he stole..."

Po gasped. Suddenly, he felt life, swiftly returning to him!  
"I'm back! Imbackimbackiback! Don't eat me!"

"Hah, he's back!" Mantis exclaimed, patting Po on the back...of his foot.

"Don't worry" purred Tigress, "you don't annoy me enough for me to eat you... Yet."

Po grinned nervously. "he he he... Your funny, you know that?" Tigress didn't answer.  
"Do you like, you know, EVER laugh?, or even smile?"  
Tigress still didn't answer. Po gave up. "I guess I'll just get back to training then..."

Tigress finally spoke. "Good idea Po. Even better, why don't you train WELL? You were just beaten up by a wooden crocodile! It wasn't even MOVING!"

Po sighed. In sincere, obviously fake, sorrow. He knew that it was true, but how could he explain the terror he felt when confronted with that terrifying wooden croc face? He slowly ambled away. However he didn't go for more than twenty seconds before he returned, bouncy as ever.

At that minute, master Shifu, the trainer of the five, and most respected one in the jade palace, walked in. "Greetings everyone!" Training suddenly stopped. When Shifu spoke, they listened. And he spoke now.

"Your training today is done. You are to go to the southernmost part of the village." Shifu continued. "The merchants there are preparing for a long trip. They will be loading and unloading valuable cargoe-Panda, are you listening?"

He turned to Po, who had his head stuck down a hole. "Yeah I'm listening, and boy, it sounds sorta echoey in here!"

Shifu shook his head in disapproval. "Panda, get your head OUT of that hole! NOW!" Po obeyed. Hey, he wasn't stupid!

Shifu continued his interrupted order. "Your presence there will help dissuade any would-be attackers." -Shifu paused and glared at Po- "You are not to attack anyone who does not attack first."

Po sighed. He had always had problems with that fundamental law of Kung Fu: that you are never permitted to be the aggressor in any conflict.

Po sighed again. "Yes Master..."

And with that, they were off! Except for Po, who started half an hour later 'cos he stopped to pack a lunch.

By the time he had caught up with the others, the had already arrived at the southern district. (it was a very small village). As he ran up to them, panting and puffing, he shouted out,

"Hey! Wa-wait up!" The others just stood there, waiting. They were annoyed at having to wait so long, and all looked at him with icy glares.

However, Monkey ruined their "silent treatment" by shouting out a cheery "Hello Po!" The rest of the five clapped their hands, (or other appendages) to their foreheads.

"Monkey..." Tigress sighed, exasperated. "why are you so friendly?"

Po looked around. He could feel the bustle in the air, and knew that the merchants who were busy loading their highly expensive wares into wagons, were risking their life with every package. There were some unscrupulous characters in the valley. He was also aware, however, that it was up to him to make sure that none of the merchants actually did lose their life. He would make sure that no-one who looked even half suspicious would get even close to the carts!

As he was thinking this, he noticed two things: one, that the merchants had almost finished packing, and two, an odd looking character was walking away from the carts! And, he was carrying a large package under his arm!

"Evil," Po said to himself, "you just made a big mistake!"

* * *

_Authors note: Another chapter for you great guys! Don't worry, the next one will actually have Shen in it. Please review!_


	3. The pride of a pig

Chapter 3

Shattered timbers, burnt and scalded wood, surrounded a pale, shapeless mass on the floor. A soft sound of dripping water pervaded the area. The whole place reeked of death. Yet the thing was alive, very alive. Alive, and searching for a way out.

* * *

_ "Oh, Ti'phan, they are darling!"_

_ "Look at them, already full of energy!" _

_"Come to mother, my darlings... come here!"_

_ "Look at that ones color, Mei lin, he is...white."_

_ "Oh, he looks like he's thinking!"_

_ "He does! Examining everything."_

_ "I have the perfect name for him."_

_ "I think I know what it is!"_

_ "Shen."_

_ "Meaning "deep thought". Yes, that is a good name for him."_

Shen drifted in and out of consciousness, meandering in that world called memories. His whole life lay before him, and his consciousness started at the very beginning.

* * *

He had been born into a clutch of five, having two sisters and two brothers. He was always the smallest, and weakest. However, he was neither despised nor pitied for this, and he soon learned to forget it.

They grew up when Gongmen City was in it's zenith, a jewel, held up for all the world to see. This was in no small part due to the never-ending toils of Shen's parents. His father, Ti'phan, The Imperial ruler of Gongmen, was constantly at work, keeping the city in order. He still had time for his children though, and even though he seldom was able to play with them, he would let them play by his throne, and he loved them deeply.

His mother, Mei lin, meaning "beautiful" in Chinese, (and truly lived up to it, in character AND appearance), was meek, but sensible, with a soft voice and gentle heart, and was constantly at work among the citizens, keeping them happy. She was also with the children every moment she could spare; her love for them may have exceeded her husband's.

Shen's eldest sister, Liânhong, was in line to inherit the throne, and soon as she was old enough to understand what it meant, boy did she rub it in!

These were Shen's happiest times. He was very young, and to his eyes, everything was a wonder. The slightest blow of wind, or drop of water, fascinated and intrigued him. So he was very pleased and exited to find out there were going to be fireworks, a treasured part of Shen's family heritage, and indeed, their invention, at the New Years party in a week!

Of course, this was his third New Years, and there had been fireworks at all of them, but he and all his siblings had been far too young to remember any more than a loud bang, and a flash of light.

The week went by swiftly, and the chicks were getting more exited by the day. Ever so often, some Aunt or Uncle, or even no one in particular, would come in with a large and mysterious box, and say, "For the new years!"

Delicious smells were coming from the kitchen, and their poor nanny spent half her time chasing curious children out from the kitchen. She was a nanny goat, who was the constant companion the the chicks. They had grown to be mutually fond of each other, although at first to her it had seemed that the childrens sole occupation was to make life miserable for her.

Now she told them laughingly, "Now children, there will be plenty for you to look at tomorrow! You can wait that long, can't you?" She saw that the children were about to reply a unanimous "No!", so she answered for them.

"Of course you can! It's the beginning of the New Years celebration tomorrow, and there will be all sorts of good things to do!" The children gathered closer. They never tired of hearing about good things which they would soon be experiencing.

Èuojù, one of Shen's older brothers, who was always hard at work making life easier for Gongmen's residents, (in other words, he was a prankster), asked, "What kind of good things?"

The nanny smiled. "All sorts" she said, "You will just have to see!" She looked around, and saw the deep disappointment in the children's eyes.

She quickly thought of something to say. "But!" She said, "You don't have to go to sleep tonight! A bad dream would bring a bad mood to the festival, so it's best not to sleep at all."

The chicks were VERY glad to hear this! Them and sleep had never got on too well anyways. By the time it was time to sleep, the chicks were too excited for sleeping regardless. For the first few hours, at least. Despite their best efforts, all but one, Èoujù, were sucked into dreamland. But it could be said, that not one of them slept deeply!

When they woke up, all were in an instant bustle of excitement. All, except for Shen. He had woke up from a bad dream, a nightmare. But, he remembered what his nanny had said, and kept it to himself. Anyway, the excitement and wonder of the day soon rubbed the dream from his mind. Everyone was setting up some new and wonderful thing, and the children had more than enough to do just looking at everything!

They were blessed; they were too young to have to help with the setting up, and old enough to enjoy it. They wandered around, watching as Gongmen city was transformed by the festivities. Unbeknownst to them, their parents and several other members of the community had been up all night setting things up, so a good majority of the work was already done, seemingly by magic. This was exciting enough as it was, so when they heard it was going to last a whole week, well, they were over the moon!

Also, for once, both their parents had some time to spend with them. Together, the chicks and their parents wandered around the town, just happy with being together. Hours passed like minutes, and Shen wished it would never end.

However, like all things, it did. Ti'phan was called away to give the opening speech of the New Years festival, and Mei li was to join him. The chicks were left with their nanny, a situation they accepted with patience beyond their young years. (The large bundle of sweets she was carrying may have helped though!).

They were gracefully spared having to listen to the speech, a part of the festival which was a nightmare to mothers with small children. The reason for this was because the children had been told that the fireworks were after the speech, and this speech seemed to go on forever! This was not Ti'phan's fault, the speech was to go over the old year, so it could hardly be expected to go through the whole year in a short time.

He noticed the impatient jitter among the children, and, having children himself, was filled with compassion towards them. He mercifully shortened the speech, promising to give the rest of it after the fireworks.

Little did he know the terrible play of fate that was about to unfold because of this! An event that would shape the future of Gongmen city would be the result.

A short distance out of the city, Shen, his nanny, and his siblings were sitting on a hill, watching some people flying kites. The day was ending, everyone was in a restful state of mind.

The one in charge of the fireworks was a pig by the name of Wang Hu, who was immensely confident in his abilities. The spectators no-go ring was probably a little smaller than it should have been, but in the frivolities, it was passed by.

The chicks were enjoying the breeze, and imagining flying, on one of those kites perhaps. It was dreamy and surreal, but in a nice way.

"Stand back everybody, stand back," Wang Hu made his way to the center of the ring, carrying a bundle of fireworks. "make way for the master!"

"Is the speech over yet?" Shen queried. He was growing impatient. "Not yet!" the nanny answered. "Not for a while still."

Wang Hu was as eager to show his skill as the crowd was to watch. He set a small circle of fireworks on the ground, each at a slightly different angle. He knotted all the fuses together, then lit the combined fuse.

SHOOF! Shen jumped up, startled. He could hear the dying crackle of fireworks. Everyone else had heard it as well, and suddenly there was a mad rush of activity, reeling in kites, getting on shoes. Several citizens had already started to run toward the city, Shen and his siblings included. Their nanny called for them to come back, but only Shen, being slower than his elder siblings, was close enough to hear. He reluctantly turned around, and walked back. Shen's brothers and sisters excitedly burrowed through the crowd. They wanted to be as close as possible.

Finally they reached a position right next to the edge of the ring: they could see Wang Hu looking around. Wang Hu heard an exited squeal. He was about to turn and silence whoever it was, but then he recognized them. The children of the Gongmen royalty! He looked greedily at them. He knew full well that those children were the direct pathway to the hearts of the parents. Please them, and he was essentially pleasing their parents.

"Wang, old boy," he said, " here's your chance to go up in the world!"

Shen was growing impatient. Although she tried hard, the nanny struggled with a leg injury that kept her from walking fast. Not nearly as fast as everyone else, by any rate. Poor Shen! In his mind, every loud noise HAD to come from a firework he was missing.

Wang eagerly pulled a firework from the bundle. Aiming it slightly towards the chicks, he dug it into the ground.

"Imagine their surprise," he thought, "when this goes off, right over their heads!"  
while he thought this, however, he did not notice the firework slipping downward. It was now aiming right at the chicks! Wang lit the fuse.

Shen and his nanny had made it to the gate of the city. They were just in sight of the fireworks stand. Shen could see his siblings sitting there.

Suddenly, PHOOW! The firework went off! Shen, Ti'phan, Mei li and the nanny could only watch, as the chicks were enveloped in a ball of fire. The crowd saw it too, and panic started to run rampant. Abruptly, the display was over, the crowd had fled in all directions, leaving Shen forgotten for the moment.

Ti'phan and Mei lin were abruptly left alone with the charred remains of their children, barely recognizable. The firework had proved its deadliness.

It took a while before realization set in. What had just happened?

Mei lin sank to her knees in sorrow, realizing that she had just lost that which was most precious to her, and that was her family. What really was painful was that nagging feeling, that if only she had been with them, like mothers should be...

Ti'phan remained standing, although, he too felt grief and deep pain, protocol kept him from showing it.

Mei lin gasped. "My children!" she cried, "They are all dead! All of them!" she did not know Shen was not there.

Shen heard this, and he ran up as fast as he could run. He finally reached his mother, not quite understanding what had happened. He looked at her. He had never seen her this sad before.

With the innocence that comes with youth, he asked, "Why are you so sad, mother?" She and Ti'phan looked at him for a minute, and Shen thought he had to have done something wrong. But then his mother reached out and gave him a hug, a deep warm carress. He could feel that she was wet from tears. "Oh Shen!" was all she would say.

* * *

_Authors note: I needed to give Shen a reason to see fireworks as weapons, so the first firework he ever witnessed killed his siblings. also, in case you are wondering how I update this so fast, I have eighteen chapter already written out: every time iI write a new one, I post one of the old ones!_


	4. Po's punishment

Chapter four

"Po, what have you done!?", Master Shifu said angrily to Po.

Po had just beaten the stuffing out of an old lady who was taking her lunch out of one of the merchants sacks, and was now about to pay the penalty.

Po searched for an answer that would soften what he had done. "I'm sorry, Master Shifu," Po said, "But I thought she was a thief! How was I to know she was a traveling Kung Fu master?"

Shifu looked Po up and down. He looked like he had gone through a meat grinder. His fur was patched and scruffy, his eyes blacker than usual, and his head was covered in lumps.

Shifu finally spoke. "Po," he said, "you will be punished for the reprehensible display of lack of discipline. However, once your punishment is done, I am going to send you somewhere."

Po grew exited. "Where?" he asked. "is it a secret mission? A tramp into unseen and terrible danger? A last ditch effort to stop the three horses of the apocalypse?"

Po would have continued, but a glare from Shifu stopped him.

"It's a holiday of sorts," He said, "Somewhere you can get away, and unwind your, uh, high-strung nerves."

Po was disappointed. "But master Shifu," he cried, "I need action! I'm a lean, mean, Kung Fu machine!"

Shifu answered. "Po, one, you are not lean, two, you are not mean, three, you will do as I say. Now, get to work cleaning these floors!"

After several hours of sweeping and mopping, Po finally finished his work. "Uhhh..." he sighed. "This is tiring! I'm pooped!" Po sat down on the bucket, and mopped his brow. "I hope that Shifu didn't mean I have to go on that trip NOW..."

He turned and saw Shifu standing, holding a small sack of Po's belongings. He handed it to Po.

"Well, I guess that answers that..." Po turned to leave.

Master Shifu called him back. "Po," he said, "Don't you want to know where you are going?"

Po turned around, embarrassed. "I thought I'd forgotten something" he muttered.

"You and Viper," Shifu said, "will be going back to Gongmen city. The people there could use some help with repairs, cleaning up after Lord Shen."

Po was surprised. "Why?" he said. "I mean, come on, going all the way there to help clean? And Gongmen is way out of our jurisdiction."

Shifu answered. "Because you were at least partially responsible for the damage. Viper is coming to keep an eye on you. Plus," he added with a slight smile," it will give us a break from you."

"But", Po asked, "Why does Viper have to come along? I'm more than capable of... cleaning, all by myself!"

"Because, Po," Viper answered, "Shifu said I have a natural ability of patience with you! I'm looking forwards to this, aren't you?"

"Not really..." Po mumbled to himself.

* * *

Po stood on top of the thousand stairs, looking down. It was such a short time ago that he had longingly looked up these very same stairs...

A slithering sound interrupted his musings. Viper was here.

"Well, I have all my things ready!" She said, "Let's get going!"

The rest of the Furious Five and Master Shifu watched, as Po and Viper diminished into the distance. Just as they reached a bend in the road, Po raised his arm in salute, a farewell to the Masters he adores.

And so, Po and Viper set out on a journey, unknowing the plays of fate that this would spark.

* * *

_Authors note: sorry for the short chapter, I couldn't find any way to stretch this. Anyway thanks for reading!_


	5. Schemes of a bat

Chapter Seven

He was small, but size did not indicate wickedness, or the mind behind it. He was a genius and he knew it. So perhaps a few people would beg to differ, but he cared not. He knew that this plan was a work of art.

He looked out at his army. Only two years ago, he had forced his way to power, uniting the bat clans. Many were against it, but he didn't care. He had done great things with them. The army, when he had seized it, did not even exist. He had dragged recruits from all over, and had been repaid a hundredfold. These recruits were already becoming formidable warriors, with an amazing aptitude to learn. Well, he would give them something to learn about.

Lord Aang!" a call disturbed his thoughts. He turned and gave the caller his attention.

"What is it, underling?" he asked in his squeaky voice.

The caller bowed low, making a cape out of his wings. "The forces are gathered, and awaiting your signal, sir."

Aang smiled, a toothy, witchy smile. "Very good. Let us prepare to depart."

He turned toward his army. "My friends and brothers", he exclaimed, "let u-

"hi bro!" said one of the bats, interrupting Aang's speech.

"Do you mind!?," Aang snapped, "I'm trying to make a speech here!"

The impudent bat mumbled his apologies.

"Very good." Aang continued his speech. " My friends and brothers!" he called, "Give me your voices!"

the cave came alive with squeaking and screeching. It sounded like the gates of hades had opened up in the cave. And very soon, it looked like it too, as Aang gave the call to depart. The mouth of the cave appeared to be breathing smoke, so numerous was the horde of bats that issued forth. Aang stalely glided after them.  
He watched his general give a few orders. In seconds, the bats were flying in a single plane.

A ceiling of destruction, Aang thought to himself cunningly. The valley would be attacked, but that was not the main purpose of this journey. This journey was to get _knowledge_. And if it was impossible to get it through normal ways, then it would have to be taken.

And that's exactly what he was going to do.

"Valley of peace", he thought, "here I come."

He and his army hurtled down into the valley, searching for the village. The tight formation spread out, like a cqanopy covering the sky. All was silent in the night sky, save for the rushing of wings. Suddenly, a shrill screech was heard from a squadron of bats. They have found the village. The air is rapidly filled with diving bats, coming in from all points of the sky. It would be a mere five minutes of flight. This would be easy.

However, they went not unnoticed.

* * *

_Ten minutes earlier_

Master Crane floated serenely over the valley, his wide wings supporting him in the air. He was deep in thought, pondering over what it was that made him feel uneasy.

He couldn't describe it, it felt like nervous hum, a distinctly ominous energy. He circled around, perturbed by his own thoughts. Was it just him, or was the hum growing louder? He looked from side to side, then suddenly his eyes locked on...something.

What was it? Small and black, barely perceptible in the night sky...all at once, a host flew overhead, silhouetted against the moon.

Crane could see them clearly now. Their gleaming fangs, their sharp talons, and molded against the outer rim of every wing, a deadly steel blade.

Crane fought against the growing terror in his stomach. He had to warn the others! He turned, and dived toward to jade palace, a white streak in the air, flying faster than any bat.

Aang watched him go. He cared not if Crane raised the alarm. In fact, he was counting on it.

* * *

"Crane, tell Shifu what you just told me," Tigress ordered.

Crane, still panting from his overtime dash to the palace, stepped forward. "The- there were bats" -Crane stopped, and took a deep breath- "bats, thousands of them at least!"

Shifu, for once in his life, looked surprised. "Bats?" he asked. "Thousands?"

"At least," Crane said again.

Shifu was thinking hard. "but that's impossible!", he said, shaking his head, "no bat clan numbers in the thousands. Perhaps you were mistaken?"

Mantis rushed in. "Uh, guys, Crane was right! Come look outside!"

The Furious five and Shifu rushed outside. In the night sky, they could see small dark shapes rushing around. Tigress, being a species blessed with nigh vision, could see them clearly. Several thousand bats milled around the night sky. Several more thousand were diving towards the village. Some were swooping low, terrifying with their eerie calls. The village had just become aware of their presence, and the people were in a panic. The five were dumfounded.

"Ok," Mantis exclaimed, "What are we supposed to do against THAT?"

"We will never know until we try!" Tigress answered.

Shifu had snapped out of his trance and began giving orders. "Everyone listen!"

All eyes turned to him.

"You must protect the valley. Go down there, but stay together. You won't stand a chance apart."

Mentally Shifu was kicking himself for sending Po away. "I will be going with you. Their numbers mean we need every master we have." With that, they flew, bounded, hopped and leaped down the stairs into the village.

Aang saw them coming. He knew the power these masters wielded, and knew they were almost unstoppable together. But he was not disturbed. The sheer numbers were sufficient to slow them down long enough for what he had in mind. With an air of supreme confidence, he ordered his general to sound the attack. The five masters below heard the sheer cry. As one, every single bat turned towards them.

Actually, not EVERY bat. Had they noticed, they would have seen Aang and a small contingent flying upwards. His evil mind was already singing his own praises.

* * *

_Ooh, cliffhanger! I'm sorry if you don,t like OC's, but this guy happens to be nessesary. Now I know what you'r thinking, "oh, this is one of those 'Shen recovers and is forced to fight alongside the furious five and Po while learning to forgive himself' stories", but hear it out. I guarantee you will be surprised._


	6. Out and not in

Chapter Eight

"YAAAAHHHHH!"

Tigress leaped forward in unison with Monkey and Mantis. Monkey hit the tight balls of bats, spinning into them using his tail as a pivot. Tigress flew over his head doing a gracefull spin as she landed in front of him, felling several oponents as she landed.  
A bat dived at Mantis, only to receive a smack that felled him, a look of astonishment on his face.

Crane soared overhead, using his huge wings to full advantage.

Shifu twirled his stick, sending several bats flying in all directions, squealing hideously. He dodged to the side, as a huge fruit bat swished past him. Using it's own momentum, he swirled it into it's comrades.

Beside him, a long fanged warrior lunged at Monkey, swinging his bladed wings upwards. Monkey backflipped backwards, catching the bat in the jaw with his foot as he did so.

For all their efforts, though, they were growing tired, and there seemed no end of the bats which hurled themselves from all sides at them.

"Yes, yes, my battle thirsty opponents. Keep fighting my warriors just a little bit longer!" Aang smirked.

He and his contingent, his own personal elite, were hanging upside-down at the doorway to the doorway to the jade palace.

He glided down, and tried the door. It didn't budge. He called to one of his bats, a trained lockbreaker. He fiddled with the door a while, then stepped back proudly.

"Very good!" Aang stepped forward and tried the door again. Still didn't budge. The smirk vanished off Aang's face. He turned to the lock breaker.

"You call yourself TRAINED!?" he shrieked, striking him in the face.

"Sorry boss," the henchbat mumbled, "I'm sure I unlocked it. Perhaps you need to push harder?"

Aang glared at him. He turned and pushed at the door with all his strength. No go. The door just stood there. Aang fumed. He called all his elite to the door. Together they pushed against the door. For their small size, their combined power was enormous.

However, the power of the door was greater still.

Aang cursed, and jumped up and down in rage. He felt like killing somebody.

A small bat round the back of the line saw that Aang needed some calming down. Perhaps if he sat in this nice green building, he would feel better!

He flew up to the door and pulled. The door swung open, silently, easily.

Aang clapped his claw to his face. "Fools and incompetents!", he screamed, "I am surrounded by fools and incompetents! Did anyone even notice the "pull don't push" sign?"

He looked around, and saw his "elite" stupidly bobbing their heads.

"Well don't just stand there!", he shrieked, "GET IN THERE!" the bats understood that! As one, they rushed inside the palace.

Monkey had linked his arms to Tigress's feet, and they moved together like a deadly... slinky.

A bat glared at Crane as the two engaged in a fierce aerial battle. They curved and dived, each looking for the others weakness. The bat attempted to slash Crane with his wing-blades, only to have Crane dodge, and strike the bat on it's outstretched wing. The bat span to earth, wailing like a demon.

Another bat span into Crane, catching him off guard. Crane was slammed into the ground, and he barely managed to dodge the wing-blade that slashed down at him. The bat would make no mistake this time. Crane was wedged against a wall, and the bat closed in. He saw the bat slash- and he saw Mantis barge into it from the side.

Crane stood up, flustered. "Thanks Mantis."

"No problem!" Mantis exclaimed, "It's my jo-ooooooobbb... Mantis's statement was interrupted by a bat swooping and carrying him off. Crane leaped into the sky after him, but the air was full of bats! He had no idea which one had Mantis.

Suddenly, a shrill call rung out. The bats all turned. Aang hovered over the battle field, a look of all-too-fake horror on his face.

"Oh no!" he screamed, forcing back a cunning smile, " It's the DEADLY furious five! And Master Shifu too! The horror, the horror!"

the five looked at the bat suspiciously. "What's your game, bat!?" Tigress snarled.

Aang smirked. "I'm saying that I had better surrender, before I'm beaten!" Tigress looked confused.

"Well...good!" she said, puzzled, "You had better be leaving!"

"Your right!" Aang screeched, "I have wo- lost! I'm going now to uh, bask in my victor- defeat! Ta-taaa!" With that, he was gone.

* * *

_Authors note: Yes, I did just update four times in a twenty-four hour period! WOOT! Anyway, Aang just is really bad at covering things up. Thanks for reading!_


	7. The enemy of friends

Chapter Ten

_"Hey bird, bet you can't catch me!"_

_ "Awww, no fair Hao, your too fast!" _

_"What's wrong bird, tired?" _

_"That does it! Watch out, Hao!"_

_ A young peacock charges forward, intent on catching a boisterous wolf cub. The cub easily sidesteps the peacock. The peacock turns, and lines up the cub again, breath coming in pants. He runs forward, then stops suddenly._

_ "What's wrong, Shen?"_

_ "Nothing, I just don't want to play this game anymore." _

_"Why not? I'm having fun!" _

_The peacock walks slowly towards the cub, tired and panting. He finally reaches him, then looks up._

_ "No reason!" The peacock rushes the cub, sending him into a tumble on the floor. _

_"You just lost your bet, Hao!"_

_ "That's cheating, Shen!" _

_The cub tackles the peacock, putting them into a playful tussle on the floor._

Shen gasped. It was getting harder and harder for him to breathe, pain coming at every intake. He slowly moved his head. The pain was excruciating. He gasped again. He couldn't take his surroundings in properly, there was just too much pain. As far as he could tell, he was in what looked like the hold of a ship. Why was he still alive? The recollection of memories made his head ache. He had just stood there, as his own cannon fell towards him. There was no way he should have survived. All he could remember was the wood cracking underneath him, the the hardest blow to his head possible... After that, it was blank.

He closed his eyes, his mind going back to his memories with Hao. The scene had changed, unbidden. He knew that when one is about to die, your life flashes before your eyes. This was more like crawling. This must mean he was going to die very slowly. He focuses on what his mind is showing him, trying to cut out the agonizing pain that covered every inch of his being.

_The peacock and wolf cub are lying on a porch, staring up at the stars. The peacock is unsuccessfully trying to find constellations._

_"How far away are the stars, Shen?_

_" "I don't know. Father says they are pretty high..."_

Father. Ever since the death of his siblings, young lord Shen was desperate for his parents. His parents tried to be with him, but were called away very often. Being only three when it happened, he was not terribly grieved, but the incident scarred him deeply. His outlook on life was permanently altered, from a happy-go-lucky toddler, to a morbidly grave and pessimistic child. His parents did not realize how deeply the incident had scarred him. He saw life through shades of gray.

_" ... So I think they are way away."_

_The wolf cub gazes upward, a dreamy look in his eyes. "What do you think stars feel like?"_

_"I don't know, kind of like they look, I guess. Kinda soft and silvery."_

_"To bad we can't touch them."_

_"We will someday, Hao, just you wait and..."_

_The scene changes, going back a few months. Shen is sitting at the table, talking to his parents about the day. One of the only times they are together._

_"His name is Hao! I met him at the guard barracks, and we became friends!"_

_"That's wonderful, Shen! You needed to find a friend."_

A soft, feminine voice brings tears to adult Shen's eyes. First of grief, then of anger. His mother. The one who bore him. Nurtured him. Betrayed him.

_A young peacock and younger wolf scribble on a piece of paper, each adding their own contributions to the drawing that lies in front of them. A city. THEIR CITY. A city they would build together "When they are older". The wolf comes up with an idea._

_"Shen, we gotta make a pact." _

_"A what?"_

_ "You know, a promise to each other."_

_ "Oh."_

_ "What will our promise be?"_

_ "To...to stay loyal to each other as long as we live." _

_"What?" "It's something all wolves say to each other."_

_ "Oh...ok!" _

_"So I'll go first?"_

_ "Uh...yeah!"_

_ "Uh... Oh yeah... I, Hao Ming, now make a pact of loyalty to Shen Lee Han, to last until death parts us." _

_"I, Shen Lee Han, now make a pact of loyalty to you-"_

_ "No no, you have to say my name!" _

_"Oh...ok, I, Shen Lee Han, now make a promis- no, a pact, of loyalty to Hao Ming, to last until death parts us."_

_ "Good enough!"_

_ The peacock and wolf cub cut their palms and shake appendages. A moment that lives forever in Shen's memory._

His parents had not seen Shen that happy since before the incident. Normally, a friendship between royalty and guards was frowned upon, but Shen desperately needed a friend. The wolf cub and him both had a birth defect: Shen was born white, Hao had only one eye.

Shen was so melancholy, only when he was with Hao did he ever seem to laugh. He had made a pact of loyalty until death with Hao, and Hao stayed true to it- until the last five seconds of his life. Shen had broken the pact many times over, and still Hao stayed loyal. What was his reward? Death, served swiftly by Shen's own hand. Shen had killed his only friend.

Was it coincidence that, as he flung the knives at him, that he cut his palm? He would never know.

"It wasn't my fault!"

Shen muttered in his head.  
Hao had broken the pact first!

_"No, you broke it first. Many times. Yet he stayed loyal to you, until you asked him to kill his own brothers._"

"What were servants for, if not to do your wishes? Hao had disobeyed, and met the consequences! It wasn't my fault!"

_"Hao was your servant? Excuuuussseee me, I thought he was your FRIEND."_

"He was my friend, but-"

_ "But what, Shen? Your excuses are pathetic! You killed your only friend, and you murdered hundreds of pandas, all because you couldn't face defeat. You only wanted to win, at all costs. Well, those actions caused your defeat! You. Defeated. Yourself!"_

Shen listened to this mysterious voice in his head. What was this? It couldn't possibly be... his conscience? He thought he had lost it years ago... Thirty years and one month, to be exact. He remembered it like it was yesterday... It was a memory that kept itself alive in him, fueling all his rage and hate.

* * *

_Authors note: the next chapter is going to be the longest I have ever made...also, I did NOT base young wolf boss's name off the name that International-wonderland gave him. That was purely a coincedence. Also, thanks for the reviews! They are like inspiration fuel!_


	8. Madness and anger

Chapter eleven

_Shen had grown up. As he grew, his deep self-loathing grew with him. He was a leucistic. He was cursed with this white plumage. He should have been blue, with a train of several iridescent colors. Instead he was white. His train, once it had grown, was white, red and black. At least it had color. He was fascinated with color. The brightest color he could remember was that singular bolt of pure blue light, the only firework he had ever seen._

_It was a sour memory for him. His brothers and sisters were taken by that same blue bolt. Ever since then, his parents had been afraid to use fireworks. The city had been free of them for seventeen years. But Shen, he was fascinated by them, as was with color. He could not help but wonder how a few powders mixed together could result in such brilliant colors. He could not find any other ways to learn, so he taught himself how to make fireworks._

_It became his passion. He could still taste the excitement after his first firework had screamed into the sky, exploding into a green ball. He was hooked._

_Of course, he had other things to do all day other than play around with fire. As he got older, his parents had enrolled him in Kung Fu, to rid him of his natural weakness. He had decided to learn Ca Li Fo, an extremely difficult art. But he found himself to be a natural at it, and his trainer, Master Thundering Rhino, agreed with him. Master Rhino was probably the only one besides Hao who saw HIM, rather than his white feathers. Shen was entranced by the sweeping beauty of it, how something so_ beautiful_ could be so deadly_.

_Like fireworks._

_In thruth, it was not the colors that fascinated him with fireworks. It was their deadly potential, the capacity of destruction, that fascinated him. It wasn't his fault, really._

_Of course, he was a very complex individual. He was always distant, rather airy and aloof one moment, and morbidly gloomy the next. His character was impossible. He simply breezed past all his parents subtle matchmaking attempts, without even realizing what they were. He simply had no interest in girls._

_That was, until he met Laeia. She was a beautiful, charming peahen, who saw past his "condition" and his gloomy attitude, and saw the sensitive, talented, individual hiding inside. She took time with Shen, and actually listened to what he had to say. It was a surprise to everyone (Shen especially), when Shen fell in love, and even more of a surprise when he announced his upcoming marriage._

_His parents were never more proud in their lives._

_Shen seemed genuinely happy, for the first time in his life, he didn't feel alone. He was grateful for all that he had. He never before had dared to trust anyone so closely. He had always hidden his emotions from everyone, hiding within himself, and it felt good to share his feelings with someone. He was looking forward to spending the rest of his life with her. To him, she was life._

Shen realized that his mind was meandering. A sure sign of his weakening. He forced himself to think in a clear order. What he saw in his mind, he remembered all too well. He was walking into a room, it was only three days to the wedding, and Shen wanted to spend some time with his fiancé. Shen could not help but watch...

_Shen walked into the room, feeling full of happiness and warmth. A warmth that was quickly doused by the glass of expensive wine all over his clothes. Shen looked up in surprise. What he saw made him suddenly nervous, and filled him with apprehensiveness.._

_Laeia stood there, a look of pure rage on her face. Shen looked at her in shock. What had he done?_  
_"What...?"_

_"Don't play dumb with me!" Laeia was seething. "Your friend here..."_  
_she gestured to a very embarrassed looking wolf hiding in the corner, "Told me all about you... You charming, handsome, deceitful liar! He told me all about those... Women! Bei, Slyen, I don't care who else... You lied to me! You said you would be faithful to only me, and...and...I..."_  
_She gasped, and ran out the room._

_Shen ran out after her. "Laeia, what are you talking about? Come back!" he ran after her. He finally caught her. "Laeia, let me explain! I-..."_  
_Shen staggered back with a cry of pain. Laeia had just slapped him! He watched her run off, and felt his heart break. _

_What had he done? What was she talking about? _

_He turned, and went back to the house, full of sorrow. Sorrow which turned to anger as soon as he saw the wolf, huddling in a corner._

_"You!" he pinned the wolf to the wall. "What did you tell her? What!? TELL ME!"_

_The wolf gasped, and looked around nervously. "I made some jokes about you...she was kinda drunk...I didn't know she would take them seriously! I'm sorry!"_

_Shen felt his world sinking. He slumped to the floor, and watched the wolf run off into the snowy evening. He felt like his world was ending. _

_Didn't she trust him any more than that? Why? He had trusted her...he would never have believed if someone made jokes about her...didn't she feel the same?_

_He heard someone come in. He looked up, hoping that it was Laeia, but it was only Hao._

_Shen looked up listlessly._

_"Shen, you all right?" Shen just stared of into space._

_After a while, he finally spoke. "Yeah, yeah, I'm alright..."_

_The tone worried Hao even more. "Shen, what happened?"_

_Shen didn't say anything. He felt empty, and he didn't want to talk. But Hao kept asking him questions! Shen finally snapped._  
_"IM FINE! LEAVE ME ALONE!...I want to be alone..."_

_Hao stood back, bewildered. "all right, if that's what you want...are you sure?"_

_"I just want to be alone. Alone."_

_Shen watched Hao leave, closing the door behind him. Why had he done that? He didn't want to be alone, that's why he was so upset, right? He wanted someone to talk to, but again, he didn't. He needed to talk to someone... His nanny! She was always the perfect someone to talk to when he had a problem._

_For some odd reason, Shen never considered going to his parents. A stellar example of the amount of time they were spending with him... _

_Shen rushed down the hall, heading towards who-knows-where, looking for his nanny. She was nowhere to be found._

_He felt he could scream...he WAS screaming... He was crying, something he normally tried hard not to do. He put his face in the corner, and cried tears of pure sorrow._

_"Look, there's the prince!"_

_Shen whipped his head around. He could see two people, strolling down the wide hall, talking to each other._

_"look at him. He can't even control his emotions..."_

_Shen leaped up in rage, and ran down the hall. He flew down the stairs, heading for the courtyard, caring not who he bumped out of his path. His eyes were blinded by tears, and he couldn't even think. Oh why did that wolf have to go and make a joke? Why couldn't she tell that it WAS a joke?_

Shen winced as the painful memories washed across his brain. What made it especially painful was that, now that he was older, he could see that once she had cooled down, she would have realized that it WAS a joke. More than likely, they would have gotten back together again on first sight of each other. Why couldn't he have seen that then?

_After spending a few wretched hours in the garden, Shen slowly made his way back towards his quarters. He was the picture of misery. He made his way up the stairs, into the chambers, when he heard voices coming from the throne room. He didn't care. He was going to HIS room, to do who-knows-what, and couldn't care less about what his parents were doing._

_"Shen..." He heard his name in the conversation. He went up to the door, and listened closer._

_"What will become of him? His fathers voice. What were they talking about?_

_"...Ouch! What was that- HEY! Do NOT chew on my robes, you old goat!" Shen heard his father scream._

_"...They are tasty! Calm down. We will soon see what will happen to our prince."_

_His nanny? There she was! Ahh, of course, she was also gifted with visions of the future. Oh, of course his parents had time to talk with HER._  
_"But never with me", he thought bitterly._

_"Well hurry up, I haven't got all day."_

_Shen smirked. His nanny also appeared to be secondary to his fathers duties_

_. "If Shen continues on his current path..."_  
_The sound of smoke billowing fills the room._

_"He will be defeated by a warrior of black and white..."_

_Shen reeled back. Defeated! Him! What for? By a warrior? What would he do to deserve this? His nanny, HIS nanny, she didn't think he would be able to win? She betrayed him! Why? Shen's head was full of questions, but everything was piling up, and one emotion gradually replaced all the others, slowly billowing out to fill his whole mind._

_Anger._

_His outlook on life caused him to always see the worst of things. He would be defeated, would he?_

_Not if he could help it._

_A warrior of back and white... So obviously a panda. Why not just say panda? He would change his fate, but how? A thought fills his head. He knew one thing he could do..._

_His conscience screamed out no, but he buried it under his anger. A foolish thing to do. As his conscience battled his rage, Shen's mind was all but destroyed. He lost the one thing he had on his side._

_His sanity._

_He knew what he would do. Yes, it was foolproof. He turned, and ran into his room._  
_Kneeling beside a large wooden chest, he removes a long, glimmering lance from the chest. Swinging it around, he takes pride in it's sheen, it's deadly sharpness. A true friend, which never disobeys him. Then he turned and left, bringing the lance with him._

_"Shen, have you gone nuts?"_  
_Hao, now the chief of the palace guards, was confused and puzzled by his friends request._

_"NO!"_

_Hao took a step back. He had never heard that note in Shen's voice before._

_"Ready the wolves, Hao! I ORDER you to!"_

_Shen had made this joke before, but Hao could tell this was different. Shen really meant it!_

_"Shen, you feelin' all right?"_

_"I'm FINE wolf, now ready these wolves! Now! NOW NOW NOW NOW!"_

_"But Shen, we can't do that! It'd be murder!"_

_"You DARE question ME!? Do it NOW wolf, or it will be YOUR death I will request!"_

_Hao gave up. What could he do? Shen was his friend, he had sworn loyalty to him, aside of the fact that the guards were to obey royalty at all times. Hao had no choice._

_He turned to Shen and muttered. "No good will come of this, Shen."_

_"Oh you simpleton, you would be surprised." He looked off into the distance, his eyes seeing something that Hao could not._

_"Happiness must be taken, DESTINY must be controlled. And I will do both."_  
_He spat that word out like it was dirty._

_However, had Shen stayed just a little longer at his parents door, he would have thought differently._

_"What!?" Ti'phan's voice filled the room._  
_The soothsayer looked up. She was not finished with her prediction, and looked at him disapprovingly._

_"Sorry" he said. "Go on."_

_The old goat continued her prophesy._  
_"He will be defeated by a warrior of black and white, but only if the young lord learns of his fate, and attempts to change it. For it is said, the surest way to follow your fate, is to try and change it."_

_Shen's parents relaxed a little. Mei lin spoke, for the first time._

_"Well, Shen will never know of this prediction. He will never be able to try and change it."_

_Never was a statement so wrong._

_Shen stood by a river, the tip of his lance making ripples in the water. A red liquid drips off his lance into the water, clouding it's purity with redness. Blood. Shen looked up. He could feel an uneasy depressed feeling in the pit of his stomach, but overwhelmingly a feeling of pure, unashamed pride._

_He stood up. He surveyed the scene. Burnt piles of rubble, once lovely houses, punctuated the landscape. The wolves were even now regrouping. He had succeeded. His conscience screamed at him but he could not hear it. He could no longer hear it even if he tried._

_He slowly walked forward, his pride showing in his step. He was a monster, but he couldn't care less. He was victorious, and that was all that mattered. Hao had the wolves lined up, a look of pure sorrow on his face. Shen smirked inwardly._

_"Hao, this was for the best. It will assure my glory in the future. There is now no one who can put an end to my bloodline."_

_Hao still remained silent, his face clouded in misery. He finally spoke._

_"I know sir, but my conscience is killing me."_

_Shen looked surprised. "Is that all? Trust me, just ignore it, you'll find it easier."_

_He turned and walked back to the palace, rain beginning to fall, as if nature herself was weeping at his sin. He walked slowly, every step oozing with his thoughts of victory. He had won. He didn't care what others would think of him. He looked at his reflection in his lance, the rain making droplets of water all over it. The water was washing some of the blood from his clothes._

_His clothes. He looked at them with mild distaste. His clothes were soiled! No matter, he had several others. Let all of China know that he, Lord Shen Lee Han, would not be stopped. Let the WORLD know! And let it tremble. The stumbling blocks in the darkness were GONE, gone for good. He looked back one last time, and saw the dying fire, the occasional corpse, where once was a happy village. Perfection._

_Hao alone lagged behind, and wondered where his friend had gone._

_Shen strode proudly across the courtyard, metal talons giving a click with every step. He could hear a disturbance inside the palace, and for all his pride, he became a little nervous. He walked to the door, straightened himself, and walked in._

_His parents watched him come in, looking like the incarnation of the angel of death. Ghostly white, with blood-stained robes, and in one wing, a dripping blade, a face that burned with all the rage, wicked malevolence and pride in the world._

_"I'm home!"_

_He looked up, and his stomach churned. Never had he ever seen such horror on his parents faces. They looked completely shocked. It occured to him, that he didnt know what he wanted them to think. Pride? Yes, that was it, they should be proud, that he no longer would have to be defeated. Their precious bloodline was safe._

_He looked up again. The same horror. He felt sick. The ground seemed to shake beneath him, and him brain seemed to be washing away. He didn't know where he was, or what he was doing. He looked at his parents._

_"Mother? Father?" he met their eyes, saw horror on their faces, and slowly looked down at himself. He saw the bloodstained robes, and the gleaming blades, and felt the horror himself. He didn't know what he had done, but he had a suspicion, one that made him sick._

_He turned, and ran out the palace._

* * *

Shen gasped. Pain was creeping into senses. Not just physical pain, that was already there. Emotional pain. He moaned for himself, he was surely the least fortunate bird in the world. Why had he done it? Thinking back, massacring the pandas was a foolish idea. It only sealed what it was meant to change. Was destiny that predetermined, that no matter what one did, it only pushed you closer to it? Could it not be changed?

If only he was not white!

Shen caught himself. He had nearly lost track of his thoughts there. He had to stay concentrated. A lapse of concentration could be fatal. Right now, his mind was the only thing keeping him alive.

_"Give up. You are going to die anyway."_

No, no! He had to stay alive. Something might happen. He could still survive!

_"what's the chance of that! Leave the strappings called life! You were willing to before!"_

He didn't know. Death would be a welcome relief, but something was holding him back.

_"Just close your eyes and lay still. The world will no longer know Lord Shen Lee Han."_

Big. Mistake.

"I.. 't want..th..the world..to..forget me!" Shen spoke his first words since regaining consciousness. He had to think!

He concentrated on his memories, what happened next? It was the only way to escape that nagging voice in his head. think!

_Shen ran as he had never ran before...no...the scene was fading, changing to a scene of his father, standing over him. Everything was fuzzy, and he could hardly make out any voices._

_"He's weak. He will always be the weakest." Sobbing. He could not make out what was happening. The scene faded to blackness._

_Out in the darkness, somewhere out in the void, he could hear voices._

_"Oh Shen! My little chick!" his mother? The scene gradually materialized. No, not his mother. His nanny. Nana. Whatever he chose to call her, she was still there. He could hear sobbing. With horror, he realized it was himself! He was lying on the floor, his head in nana's lap, sobbing his heart out. He could not remember this. When had this happened? It was his memories, he had no control over what he was seeing._

_"Oh nana," he heard himself saying, "what will become of me?"_

_The old goat smoothed down the feathers on Shen's neck, and he heard her say something like, "I don't know. Only you decide that."_

_"But I don't even know what I did!" his voice._  
_Shen couldn't help but notice how pathetically miserable he sounded, as if he was FOUR! He couldn't really tell how old he was in the memory, but he guessed that he was very young._

_"I was in the hall, and I heard your prophesy, and-..."_

_The nanny's face betrayed a look of horror, as if she had been hit with an axe. "You... You heard the prophesy?" she stuttered._

_Shen nodded, in pure misery, only matched by the nanny's._

_"Oh, what have I DONE?" she kept saying over and over. Shen looked confused._

_"What have YOU done? Nana, I don't understand."_

_"Oh Shen! I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" she sobbed._

_Shen WAS confused. "Nana, what did you do?" she said nothing._  
_He continued, "I was in the h...hall, an..and I heard your prophesy. I got mad and...and then I was at the door, all covered in blood, and I don't know what happened!"_

the peacock buried it's face in the goats lap, and cried.

Shen could not place this scene. He tried to remember it, but he couldn't. Who cares any way. He couldn't forget the scene of him crying, however. Shen had not cried in over thirty years, and he had forgotten what it felt like.

He closed his eyes, and forced back the tears that were threatening him. Even now, when there was no one possibly able to see him, he would not risk being seen as weak.

_Shen stepped forward, his feet curling up the grass, killing it under his step. He pulls out a knife, and walks up to a baby, which magically has appeared there. He raises the knife, and brings it down..._

_YYAAAAHHHGGG! Another nightmare! What was happening to him?_

_He lies awake all night, afraid of what lies beyond the boundary of conscious thought..._

* * *

_Wind howls over the snow covered fields, and the night is cold. Shen and his wolves are in hot pursuit of a bumbling mother panda, apparently with a child. The wolves lose sight of her for a while, then find her again. They rush away after her. Shen however, stops, and turns around. He spotted something in the corner of his eye. A small bundle off black-and-white fur. A baby panda._

What was this? Shen remembered running after the mother, but he didn't know what was happening now! What, was the baby, who he now recognized as Po, (those eyes were unmistakable,) going to do some impressive Kung Fu and fight him off? He could only watch.

_Shen looks at the baby, in a cart of radishes, crying for his mother. So soft, so innocent. So doomed. The wolves will surely find him here..._

_Shen's eyes soften, for just a fleeting second, his sanity returns. Pushing the cart round a bend, he hides it among several other carts and boxes. He steps back, and can barely see the panda himself. The wolves won't find him here. A long, drawn out howl of a wolf echoes over the wind. Shen's eyes flicker, then harden once more. He turns, and runs away._

Shen gagged. "PLEASE someone tell me that's not what I thought it was!"  
he thought, ashamed with himself.

How could he! He SAVED that fat, flabby, stupid panda, the SAME one who out him in this... this MESS! He could be ruling CHINA now, but instead, he's trapped in the storage room of a ship, probably deep underwater, and running out of oxygen. There was nothing left for him now...

He closes his eyes and lies still, holding onto life by a silver thread.

* * *

_Authors note: I know, I stink at romance. sorry for the long wait, we went out sailing and I was separated from the internet, hope this makes it up to you._


	9. Aang's troubles

Chapter Twelve

Aang looked over his armies, and was proud. They would soon be unstoppable! He didn't know why no one ever thought to make an army out of Kung Fu masters. Or rather, make masters out of an army. He watched and waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, he grew tired of this. Where were they? He would have to look for them, and they were probably dawdling AGAIN.

He stormed towards the door, and reached towards the handle to throw it open- SLAM!  
The door opened in his face!

"Hey boss, we're done!" the bat looked around, "Boss?"  
A mumbling was heard behind the door. The bat looks , and sees Aang flattened against the wall behind the door. The bat closes the door, releasing Aang.

"Say boss, what were you doing behind the door?"

Aang was furious. He struck the bat across the face, sending him staggering back.

"When I rule China, all doors will be outlawed! Stupid things, always causing trouble!" Aang tiraded for fifteen minutes, then remembered the other bat.

Turning to him, he asked, "Well? Are they open?"

the henchbat replied, "Yes boss, and they were really tight! My fingers are all sore, and Jerry's-"

"ENOUGH!" Aang screeched, silencing his subordinate.

"Tell me, can we start reading them?"

The henchbat answered, "yeah, but-..."

"Yes, yess! The secrets of Kung Fu will be mine! Tell the troops to start reading them!"

"But boss-..."

Aang struck the bat in the face again, "I don't want to hear about your pathetic excuse, minion. Make them READ the SCROLLS!"

"But boss, the scrolls need to be read in the correct order, it says so on the box."

_ *Aang imagines*_

_ "Lord Aang, the first bat has mastered all of Kung Fu." _

_"very good, how many bats are left?" _

_"5,471." _

_"Oh..."_

_ *Aang finishes imagining*_

Aang hesitates a moment, then finds a solution, "Let every bat, while reading the scroll, also write it down, then hand on the copy. That should speed things up."

"But boss-..."

"What now, minion?"

"The bats can't write."

_*Aang imagines*_

_"Lord Aang, we have spent 30000000 years teaching the armies how to write. They are ready to write the next book of art!"_

_Aang turns around, completely old and wrinkled, and mumbles._

_"V-very g-good! Now t-to work! Wait, what was the plan again? I have forgotten..._

_ *Aang finishes imagining*_

Aang, however, had another solution. "It doesn't matter, just tell them to copy down what they are reading on the paper." he thought he was pretty clever to come up with that.

"But boss-..."

Aang was reaching the end of his rope. "what NOW? The light isnt strong enough? Or the sun isn't in the right angle? Or have the stars aligned themselves incorrectly? What NOW!?"

The bat minion gulped. "L-lord Aang, th-the bats c-can't read..."

Aang collapsed.

_*Aang imagines* _

_All the bats are aligned in a circle, in the center of which is Aang. He is sitting in a rocking chair, holding a scroll and reading out loud._

_ "Then flip your wings up and go kaboom." _

_"The final scroll! Hah, now we will dominate!" _

_Aang tries to get out of his chair. _

_CRACK! _

_"Oh, my back! I'll go and sit down, and maybe knit a scarf..."_

_ *Aang finishes imagining*_

Aang was dumfounded. He was locked in thought for over half an hour. "They can't read! What kind of buffoons can't read!" Aang knew that this was a serious problem to his plans.

He eventually hit upon a plan. He went out to his Captains. They would have to be quick, or else the five will discover their hiding place and attempt to recover the stolen scrolls. Time was not on his side. He flew through the intricate tunnels and mazes of the cave, avoiding stalagmites and other bats, until he came to a large ram's horn, mounted in the stone. Putting his lips to it, he blew several times, a pre-prepared signal to call the Captains.

In seconds, Aang was surrounded by several of his most trusted operatives. He outlined the plan.

"You must kidnap some teacher, or a grandma or something," he said, "someone who can read to a lot of people, and teach them something."

The captains nodded in agreement. Inside, however, they were wondering what on earth Aang was thinking. Them and teachers and/or grannies had never got along too well, usually ending them getting beaten up by a cane/purse, and a dead teacher was useless. Aang knew EXACTLY what they were thinking.

"Don't even THINK of failing this mission. And whoever you choose to pick, must NOT be harmed."

The captains grumbled. This was demeaning, and probably meant that they would end up begging some old lady to do the job for them. They sighed, bowed, and left the cave.

Once out, they let out the most terrifying screech imaginable, and hurtled down into the valley. Soaring over the streets, they spotted their prey. An old lady goat, just getting out of a carriage. Swooping down, they made their move.

The captains flew elsewhere, discomfited and angry. The old lady had beaten them on sight. One down, several hundred left to try.

Finally, they found a lady which looked like she might work. They were going to use a new technique this time; cute faces! They swooped down again, baring their cutesy faces...

Apparently, this lady was immune to their incredible cuteness. She ignored them until one went right up to her, then she swung her purse right into their toothy, grinning, faces. The generals were not pleased. They searched again.

They tried, several things; fitness, cuteness, force, subtlety, and even handsomeness. Finally, they decided to do the unthinkable; ask the person nicely. They flew up to an old, nearly blind lady. This was going to be demeaning. They gritted their teeth.

"Hello bunnies!" the old lady said cheerily. Bunnies!

"Er...hey..." they weren't good at this, "Say, lady, we want-..."

"It's Bei Jai Mei, just so you know!"

"well... Say Bei, how would you like-..."

"I'm just going to see my cousin, she's been feeling poorly you know..."

This old lady was so annoying! Why did she keep interrupting? They tried again. No chance. Finally they persuaded her to come with them, and took her to the cave, quickly as possible so their job will be over. The old lady kept talking. Finally they had had enough.

"Look lady, can you, Uh...sorta...be quiet?"

"I was just being conversationall!" the old lady seemed insulted. The bats had to come up with something quickly, or else she might not read, and then Aang would have their heads!

"Oh, well," they said "Uh...ah! We suffer from...tofuolesagia...yeah, tofuolesagia, and if we hear too much, we could die!" *Grin!*

The old lady seemed to accept this, and apologized. The bats thought they were pretty clever!

Aang, after being with the lady for five minutes, strongly disagreed. He had already been giving a strong talking-to about manners, a whack on the head, and quite a few cheesy idioms. He could put up with it, however, because she was doing a fine job reading the scrolls. The bats were learning well, and he hoped they would learn quickly.

Time was running short, the five had already found out about the theft, and were frantically searching everywhere for the missing scrolls. Hopefully, the bats would know enough of Kung Fu to fight them off when they came. Aang grinned to himself. He peeked into the "training room" where the old lady was reading. The bats were sprawled out on the floor like children, listening to a story. Aang didn't mind, they were learning something useful for once.

"Learn all you can, children, before the school closes! AHAAHAHA,...ahhaha...haha... that's a terrible line."

With that, Aang flew back to his quarters. He knew that soon, they would be tested. He hoped they would be ready.

* * *

_Authors note: Sorry for the long wait, the updates are probably going to be farther apart now, as my Mom doesn't like me being on the computer so much. :(_

_Anyway, to all my readers, thanks for reading! And to those who review, an extra-special thanks!_

_OH, and about the last chapter, that was NOT wolf boss who joked aboout Shen. Just to get that straight._


	10. Meditation

Chapter Thirteen

Master Shifu watched Crane, Monkey, Mantis, (a little scuffed up, he was droped from pretty high...) and Tigress performing their moves with grace and style. He was angry with himself. Why had he sent Po and Viper away, just before a huge clan of bats attacked too... What had he been thinking? He needed Po here, and the absence of the two most cheery people had had an adverse affect on the group.

He sighed. For once, perhaps he had been too strict.

A loud snapping noise brought him back to reality. Monkey and Tigress had been sparring, with instructions not to stop until Shifu told them to. Tigress had just managed to break Monkey's staff, and was proceeding to rain down blows from all sides.  
Shifu acted quickly, rushing in-between, pushing Tigress away from Monkey with his staff. Tigress stopped her attack with remarkable speed: years training her discipline hadn't been wasted. Shifu looked around. He realized he was far too distracted to allow them to train physically. Taking a deep breath, he gave them an order he had never given before.

"Everyone...I want you to take a break. Go and do whatever you please."

Everyone stared at him. Tigress even ventured to ask if he was feeling okay.

"I'm fine, Tigress, just distracted. I've got a lot to think about."

The others were just as confused, but hey, if Shifu was going to give them a break, far be it from them to refuse! They bowed, and left the room.

Shifu watched them leave, and sighed again. What was happening to him? He had never been so distracted over sending someone away. He wondered if it was possible he was beginning to care about that panda. He quickly shook the thought from his head. His relationship with Po was strictly that of master and student, nothing more. He could not allow himself to become attached to any of his students.

_Even his daughter._

He stiffened, thinking of Tigress. She so desperately wanted attention as a daughter, but his own fear kept him from giving it to her. Deep down, he knew he was a bad parent.  
That was probably why Po meant so much to him. Po, Shifu realized, saw him as as more than just a master of a defense style. He saw him as a hero, someone he could look up to. Po was able to see through his facade of the strict, heartless teacher, and saw the pained, heart stricken, animal who wants to love, and be loved, but was hidden by his own fear that his love will betray him again.

He sighed. Perhaps it would help to learn to show a little mercy sometimes. Shifu sat, and thought.

The relieved masters were each doing their own thing. Crane was writing calligraphy, and Monkey devising some new mischief maker with Mantis. Tigress, however, was different. She never had been one for fun. She was practically an emotionless rock, if you didn't know her. She sighed. She missed Viper. She was always the kind you could talk to, a sweet, kind, and rather (Tigress thought) naive girl.  
She was gone, so Tigress just sat around, doing nothing. Eventually, she decided to train some more, but when she went back to the training hall, Shifu was still there, staring listlessly. Normally, she would have gone in, but it seemed rude to go back in and train, right after someone has given you a rare break. He probably thought he was being pretty nice, and would probably be insulted if she started training again. So, she turned around, and slowly meandered through the palace, lost in her own thoughts.  
Finally, an idea came to her. She could read some of the scrolls! She was behind on her studies of them anyway.

Making her way towards the room where they were kept, she felt the walls with pleasure. She always liked this part of the palace; the lighting, and it's shelves filled with vast amounts of knowledge gave this room an air of mystery. She looked around, puzzled. Something seemed...wrong. She swept her eyes around the room, and the problem became apparent. the scrolls were gone! Every last scroll and manuscript was gone! Her eyes widened. Who would do something like this? Those scrolls were priceless, not in money, but for the knowledge that they contained. Countless generations had been trained using the teaching of these scrolls. The secret to stability, the recipe for superb green tea, all gleaned from those scrolls. And now they were gone! She had to tell someone.  
Master Shifu! He would know what to do.

Master Shifu moved with smooth, slow, flowing movements. Concentrating on your style was a great way to clear one's mind. He gracefully span, moving slowly and carefully. With his eyes closed, he weaved his arms and legs in perfect harmony, as if dancing to an unseen rhythm. However peaceful on the outside he looked, however, inner turmoil refused to loose it's grip on him.

Opening his eyes, he frustratedly sat back down. Perhaps it was because he was never really at rest; he always had so much to do. He began to get angry. Why couldn't he forget this...this depression and move on? Some master of his emotions he was turning out to be. Clenching his fists, he could tell he was losing his temper. Emotions were boiling within him, churning and twisting and eating at his soul.

At that minute, Tigress ran in.

"Master..."

"WHAT?!"

Tigress did a double take. What had she done to make him so angry? Shifu realized that he had shouted, and apologized.

"I'm...sorry Tigress, I'm just a little... Upset about something. What is it?"

Tigress inwardly groaned. If he was upset already, then what she was about to tell him surely wouldn't help him feel better. Shifu noticed this.

"I'm fine, Tigress, truly. Now what did you want to tell me? She took a deep breath.

"Master,"' she said, "the scrolls are gone."

Silence. Worse than the loudest shout at times.

"What do you mean, "gone"? Are they stolen?"

Tigress answered. "I believe so, master." She was scared, Shifu was one of about ten things that scared Tigress, and even so, she rarely was scared even, by him.

Shifu looked around for a moment. He felt like his life was ending. Why was everything going wrong all of a sudden?  
"Well," he said, "that's just about it then. Go get the others. We are going to get those scrolls back."

Tigress turned and ran.

"What happened?"  
"How did this happen?"  
"When did this happen?"  
"What's going on?"

The room was full of questions, and no answers. Shifu was pacing back and forth restlessly. He too, was full of those same questions, but he kept them on the inside.

"Tigress!" he called. "Tell everyone here what happened."

Tigress hated being put on the spot like this. But really, what choice did she have?  
"I was heading toward the hall of scrolls," she began, inwardly squirming at the eyes on her. "I entered the hall, and saw that the scrolls were gone. Nothing else was touched."

Shifu paced back towards Tigress. He had to ask a question. "Did anyone else see you enter the hall?"

Tigress knew what he was really asking. "Master, I could not have removed the scrolls in such a short time. I swear by my honor!"

Shifu sighed. "I know that, Tigress, but I am examining the possibilities. To remove all those scrolls would take a very long time, or a lot of animals..."

the red panda grew silent, as a possibility dawned on them all.

"The bats?" they all exclaimed in unison.

"They certainly had the numbers." Crane mused.

"To do this indicates a complete disregard for laws and disrespect for our culture." Shifu stroked his chin thoughtfully. "What are they planning? Could they be planning to sell them, or are they going to..."

they didn't seem like the type to spend long, careful hours poring over scrolls. However, if Shifu had learned one thing during all his years as a master, it was that you should never presume to understand your enemy. Tai Lung, oh!...the very thought of him brought a pang of guilt, anger, and pain. He had thought the very highest of him, loved him, took pride in him, only to find that he loved a monster. He had failed to understand his own SON, so how could he think he could understand an enemy?

Shifu had to break his trance for the third time today. He looked around, saw the four pairs of eyes on him, and proceeded to give orders.

"Search around. They are bats, so every cave is a likely target. Search every one. We must find those scrolls!"

The four masters bowed, turned, and left. They each had pre packed a small bag of supplies, so were ready to leave at a moments notice. In just a few more minutes, they were leaping down the stairs, not quite sure what to do, or where to start, but one thing was certain. They would find those scrolls, and someone would pay for taking them.

* * *

_Authors note: I am really sorry about this... for some reason, the protocol decided to remove the spaces when I posted this chapter. So sorry... Anyway, thanks for reading, this story has had 1,200 views! I'm sure thats just a small amount, but it means a lot to me._


	11. The exile

Chapter Fifteen

Shen lay silent. He was exhausted, both mentally, and physically. Inside, his weakened psyche was fighting a battle with the grim reaper himself. Shen was .holding out so far, however, he couldn't hold out forever, and both knew it. Shen was holding on to life with everything he had.

_ Give it up. You have nothing left. You are done_.

"No, NO! I still have life!"

_Yes, but for how much longer? Even you must realize your situation is hopeless... _

"I must still hold on...hope must be found somewhere, even in ones self."

_Perhaps, but why do you have to rely on yourself? Because you have nothing else!_

"I will...I must tend to the future! To make them...proud."

_Ahhhh, so that is what this is about, your parents? You want to make THEM proud? Well well well, you know, I have just the cure for that! How about I show you a little scene..._

"NO...not that! why cant you just leave me be?"

_So you know what I'm talking about, do you? Well, let us begin!_

"Leave me alone!"

_Now now, don't be so hard. This was a turning point in your life, the moment where prince Shen died, and was replaced with YOU! Such a lovely murderer! And now, let us watch it again..."_

_"Prince Shen."_  
_Shen looked up from his bed at the antelope guard standing before him. "Wha..what is it?"_

_The guard had no expression on his face whatsoever. "Your parents have come to a decision regarding your punishment."_

_"My...my punishment?" Shen had a sinking feeling inside his stomach._

_"Yes. Your parents are waiting for you by the city gates."_

_A few minutes later, Shen had dressed, and was heading towards the city gates. He was extremely nervous, even terrified. What was going to happen to him? Was he going to be beaten? Put in prison? He could only imagine, as he made his way towards the city gates, a queasy, sick feeling in his gut._

_He finally made it to the gates. He could see his father, his mother, and even his nanny, standing there. He also saw the palace antelope guards, and his faithful wolves. He looked at his parents. They looked anything but happy to see him._

_"Greetings, mother, father, soothsayer." he could not call her "Nana" in formal meetings. "I have arrived."_

_Ti'phan motioned towards one of the antelope guards. The guard stepped forward, and began his rehearsed speech._

_"Prince Shen, you have been accused of, ruthlessly massacring a village of innocent pandas. We want to know; did or did not you commit the aforementioned act?"_

_Shen's first response was to shout NO, but slowly, horribly, realization crept onto him. He HAD done it. Horror crept into his heart. Wait! He wouldn't have done that for no reason! Why had he done it? Aahh, yes, that was why._

_He turned to face his father, and looked him right in the eye. Surely he would understand._  
_"Yes." Shen spoke. "Yes, I did."_

_The antelope guard continued his rehearsed speech. "Then," he said, "Your parents, after long deliberation, have decided on your punishment."_

_Shen trembled. "And..and what is my punishment?"_

_The guard answered. "Your punishment is...banishment from Gongmen province...for life. Your bags have already been packed. You and your wolves must leave in the next twenty-four hours, and never return."_

_Shen was dumbfounded. Him? Banished? They couldn't be serious! He scanned his parents faces. Oh, yes they were._

_"Wait!" he said, "doesn't anyone want to hear my defense?"_

_Ti'phan looked down at him. He nodded. The antelope guard addressed Shen. "Proceed."_

_Shen sighed with relief at this one word. They would certainly understand. He looked his father straight in the eyes, before speaking._  
_"I heard the prophecy. I did it to protect my bloodline, and to preserve my family's ownership of the city. The pandas are gone. No longer a threat to me or us."_

_Shen, while he was talking, was watching his fathers eyes, waiting for them to soften. They never did. If anything, they hardened. Shen did not notice the trembling wings, or ragged breaths. He only noticed the stony silence. He was puzzled, and confused. Why wheren't they pleased?_

_He turned to his mother, slightly pleading with his eyes. "I did it to make you proud! I wanted you to see that I could solve my problems! It was so that you could see that I wasn't unworthy to take the throne!"_

_All the while, he was watching her eyes. They remained hard, and unfeeling. Panic was growing in Shen's gut._  
_"I wanted to prove that I was strong, and that just because I am white doesn't mean I can't stop those who would kill me! Can't you understand?"_

_Shen could not see the tears in the corners of his mothers eyes, nor the trembling lower beak. All he saw was the dissapointed expression on her face. He turned to his last hope. His nanny. Surely she..._

_"I did it because I didn't want to DIE!" Shen's whole voice was pleading, begging her to intercede for him._  
_"I wanted to LIVE! I can't be banished! PLEASE! I have my whole life here! I NEED you!"_

_Shen saw his nanny's eyes, cold and hard, just like the others. He threw himself at her feet, breath heaving, in full-blown panic. He was begging her, not with just his eyes._

_"PLEASE! Don't let them banish me! I'll DIE! Where will I go? I...I...can't leave! My...my who..whole life is..he...here!"_  
_He was breaking down. He was having a panic attack. He shook his nanny back and forth._  
_"I...I...I...n..n..need to stay here! I loved you! I trusted you! You c..can't betray me! Plea-..."_

_Ti'phan moved forward, and pushed his son backwards, onto his feet._

"NO! No...no...please!"

Shen gasped.

"I don't want to watch this! I can't see this again! Please...leave me!"

Shen knew what he was going to see. The vision continued.

_"SHEN!"_

_Ti'phan's voice thundered, for the first time this morning, he spoke._

_"You are not fitting to be lord of this province. You have murdered the citizens you were supposed to protect! You have proved yourself to have an unstable mind, and what just saw removes all doubt that you have no control over your body either! You are banished. There will be no revocation. I disown you as heir to the province, and I...I disown you as my son."_

_Shen staggered back, stuttered, then looked up at his father. He stood up straight, and composed his feathers. The panic that had been in his eyes dissapeared remarkably fast. He looked around. Only the soothsayer noticed the mad flame behind her chick's eyes._

_"So that's how it is, eh? Of course. I should have known."_  
_Shen spoke in a slightly mocking tone._

_"You,...you wanted the warrior to defeat me! You thought that I was unfitting for the throne from the very beginning! Why? Because of my COLOR! I was too SICKLY for you, wasn't I? So you arranged for me to be defeated, and now that I have made it impossible, you BANISH me! You reject me as your son! I shouldn't be surprised. You rejected everything else about me, what difference does this make? I wasn't your son already! So...who is it? Who have you chosen to be the new heir? WHO?!"_

_His parents said nothing._

_"Aaaahhh, I dont know why I expected you to answer. You never talked to me before, when I was your SON, why should you even notice me now?"_

_He looked around, with madness in his eyes. Madness, and a trace of sorrow. He opened his beak, and spoke._  
_"Well, you have failed as parents. Do you hear me! You FAILED! You will not reject me as a son. I renounce you as PARENTS!"_

_He panted, and looked around. His speech apparently hadn't affected them any. What was the use?_  
_"Well mark my words. I will be back for revenge, on you, and your precious city! I will return, and all of China will bow at my feet."_  
_He turned, beckoned his wolves to follow him, and walked out the city gates._

_The soothsayer had to say something. "Shen!" she shouted, grabbing his sleeve, "Stop this madness! It wil-..."_

_"Do not tell me my madness will destroy me!" His eye's fire faded, and, in a voice brimming with sorrow, he spoke his last sane words for thirty years. _

_"It already has..."_

Shen exhaled sharply. His past self was right. His madness had destroyed him. It had taken everything, his fiancé, his friend, his parents, his conscience, his morality, his army, his ships, his cannons, his second chance, his destiny, his royalty, his kingdom, his honor, his entire ambitions, all gone. Gone in a flash.

He broke down. He did something he hadn't done in over thirty years.

He cried.

He cried in pure sorrow, as only a sorrowful criminal could. After a while, he stemmed the flow of his tears. What was the point? It didn't help anything. He had been exiled, on his wedding day, ironically. What would have been a turning point in his life was just that, in a horrible, twisted way. He had nothing, no one would miss him. He had lost everything to his madness...

_Even his life..._

He closed his eyes, for the last time. His breath exhaled, but did not inhale again. Lord Shen Lee Han, disowned heir of Gongmen province and one of the most brilliant minds in China, or even the world, was dead.

And so, destiny runs full circle.

* * *

_Authors note: WHAT! Shen died!? Wait! Hold the riot, it isnt over yet! I will find someway to use him in this story... I promise!_ _Anyway, why did the last chapter only get one review? Was it bad? If so, at least tell me what was bad about it...Thanks for reading, see you soon!_


	12. Searching

Chapter Sixteen

"Sooo... Anyone know any good caves?"

The furious five, (minus Viper), were deciding where to start looking. So far, they were having trouble deciding whether to start at hēiàn cave, or yé cave. Crane was sure it was hēiàn, that cave was larger, and was less accessible, while Tigress and Monkey were convinced that yé cave's smaller size made it the less obvious choice, thus the better one.

Normally, either Po or Viper would have calmed the argument, but as neither were there, the argument just got hotter and hotter, until it it very nearly came to blows.

Fortunately, Crane buckled before that happened.

"Yé cave it is then!" Mantis exclaimed, glad that the argument was over.

Yé cave was positioned on the side of one if the nigh-inaccessible peaks that surrounded the valley of peace. It was a grueling four-hour climb, and tensions were high.

Crane was quite smug about his wings, they gave him a huge advantage over the others. "Come on guys! We want to get there TODAY!"

"Easy for you to say, Crane!" panted Monkey.

"Honestly, guys, I don't see what the trouble is!" Mantis said, clinging on to Monkey's shoulder, "I'm not tired at all!"

"How about you shut up and walk." Tigress was in a bad mood. She was tired, she was angry, and most of all, she was hot. The temperature was running quite high, and her fur coat didn't help things.

"Easy Tigress," Mantis exclaimed, "only two more hours...two hot, sweaty, exhausting, brain boggling, knee-..."

Mantis was interrupted by Tigress's paw clamping over his mouth. He wisely decided to remain silent.

Two hours later, the four finally reached the mouth of yé cave. Pressing themselves against the stone walls on either side of the entrance, they slowly peered into the cave... It was empty. Not only that, but it was completely full of rocks, suggesting a recent cave-in.

"All that work, for nothing!" Monkey moaned, slapping his hand to his forehead.

"Well, who's up for the ride back?!" All eyes glared at Mantis. The insect grinned, and hid behind monkeys ear. "Hehe...never mind!"

Crane, however, seemed somewhat pleased that the cave was empty. "Guess we'll just have to try hēiàn, then."

"Don't be so smug, Crane" Monkey said.

"Your just mad because your guess was wrong." Crane retorted.

However, when they finally got to hēiàn, it was Crane's turn to be embarrassed. Not only was the cave empty of bats, it had also become the renovated location of an orphanage. The manager seemed surprised to see them.

"Good afternoon, honorable sirs," he said, "what can I do for you?"

"Nothing much," Monkey grinned, "Crane here just wants to arrest your children for stealing our sacred scrolls."

The manager's blank face said everything.

"It's nothing, sir," Crane blushed, and hid his face under his hat. "Monkey is just fooling."

"Uh...very good sir..." the manager said, closing the door quickly.

"Well that was productive!" Mantis said.

"So, Crane, how do you think those children managed to steal those scrolls?"

Crane said nothing, covering his face with his hat.

"Now now, Crane, you have nothing to be ashamed of! Children can be very sneaky!" Mantis chimed in.

"This is no time for games." Tigress's voice silenced the two troublemakers. "What this means is that we have to search more caves." She was weary. She had traveled several miles today, most over near-vertical terrain, and had no extra energy for arguing.

Several caves and at least one cavern later, the four masters came back to the jade palace, utterly exhausted, and grumpy, and not in the least bit successful. Shifu was disappointed, but not entirely surprised. There were hundreds of possible hiding places for bats to hide in the valley. However, he had a plan.

"Everyone, listen to me." he looked around. "Sending you out to look for them was a foolish idea. While you were gone, I came up with a plan."

"Master, what is your plan?" Tigress had suddenly become the groups spokesperson.

Shifu looked them over. They were utterly exhausted, and he hoped that they were strong enough to actually carry out his plan.

"You will wait until evening, that is when the bats leave their caves for the night. Crane, you will try and follow them back to their cave, and once you know the location, come back and get the others."

"Yes master." Crane bowed.

"The rest of you will then go to the cave, and wait until next evening. When the bats come out of the cave, you will slip inside, and retrieve the scrolls. I suggest bringing a cart of some sort to carry the scrolls."

"Yes master." the other masters bowed.

"Try to avoid the bats as much as possible, I don't know their fighting style, so they will be unpredictable." He looked them over again. They bowed. He bowed back.

"Now we just wait until nightfall."

The sun set over the valley, setting the sky of fire with it's oranges and pinks. A perfectly clear sky, to most people.

But to Crane, soaring high over the ground, the sky was anything but clear. He could see swallows returning to their nests, insects coming out for the night, and already a few bats. He banked, and dived in pursuit. He would keep track of this bat until it returned home. He just had to make sure it didn't notice him; he would have to keep his distance.

Dusk turned into night, and was getting harder and harder to see the bats. Crane had to strain every fiber in his eye just to keep his eye on the bat.

"How much longer?" Mantis, Monkey, and Tigress waited for Crane's return.

"Most bats head back around morning..." Tigress answered, "we should get some rest."

"Agreed!" Mantis and Monkey said together.

"Hey, that was my line!" they said together again.

"Hey! You did it again! Stop repeating everything I say!"

they looked at each other.

"Tigress in a banana outfit!"

they stared at each other.

"That was weird..." they both said.

Tigress did a mental facepalm. "You guys are weird."

"Are not!" they said together.

"Hey! You stole my-..."

They were interrupted by Tigress putting her paw over both their mouths.

"Don't start that again." She glared at them. "We need to get some sleep. I suggest we each go to our rooms."

"Ok." Monkey and Mantis said together, and walked out.

Crane soared and dived, span and banked, in a desperate attempt to keep his eyes on the bat he had been following for the past five hours. His already sore wings were now burning and stiff, and his eyes were getting bleary.

Suddenly, the bat pulled up. Crane realized this too late, by the time he also pulled up, the bat was nowhere to be seen. Desperately scanning his surroundings, he flew vertical for a few minutes.

No use. The bat was gone. Crane looked up in exasperation. When he did so, however, he noticed something.

Hidden away by an overhanging ledge, the mouth of a cave leered at him from above. Crane realized that due to the surrounding rock formations and floral growth, the cave was only visible from directly below it. His heart started thumping with excitement. This had to be the cave! He saw a bat fly into it, confirming his suspicions. He had found it!

He turned to leave, but stopped. How did he know he would be able to find this cave again? He dived, and scratched a squiggle into the cliff wall. Noticeable, but not obviously a signal. Then, gathering his breath, he hurtled up into the sky, back to the jade palace.

"You found it?"

Crane had returned, and was now the subject of an interrogation.

"Where? It wasn't full of children was it?"

"Uh..no, it had no children that I could see."

"Where was the cave?" Tigress's voice silenced the others.

"I don't know what the place is called, it was pretty well hidden, but I marked the spot on the map, and traced a signal in the stone near the cave."

"Ok, that is one well-hidden cave!"

The Furious...four were hidden under some brush cover, examining the cave's entrance. It was only accessible to someone with wings.

"I guess Crane will be doing taxi service for us!" Monkey said brightly, earning himself a glare from Crane.

"I could bring you guys up there, but I would have to come back for the...noodle cart."Crane said, gesturing to the noodle cart they had brought to carry the scrolls in. "Couldn't you have found anything else?"

"Hey, it was all we could come up with on such short notice!" Mantis objected.

"Quiet everyone! If those bats hear us, we are done." Tigress hissed.

No one could find anything more to say that was needed, so they settled into the waiting game that was forced upon them. Time would tell whether their actions would work.

* * *

_Author's note: yes, another chapter for ya! I know you are grieving over the death of Lord Shen, but good things come to those who wait._


	13. Arrival

Chapter Seventeen

"So, I was just walking, and this guy came out of nowhere! He was huge! At least twenty feet tall. So I was like, 'Your one big..."

Po droned on and on. However, Viper didn't seem to mind. Truth is, Viper could be talked to all day and not mind. The reason? Like all members of her species, she was deaf. She could read lips, but she had to be looking at someone to do that. So, Po had been talking for the last four hours, and she didn't even realize it.

This was the reason she had been chosen to go with Po, as no one else could stand his constant talking for the whole trip by themselves. Finally, she interrupted.

"Po!"

"Yeah?" Po answered.

"We're here."

"Whoa...this place is still just as big as I remember it!"

Po and Viper had arrived in Gongmen city, and were still taken by surprise by the size difference with the Valley of peace. While the Valley mostly consisted of goats, rabbits, geese and pigs, Gongmen's citizens consider of sheep, antelope, and the occasional wolf or two, which mostly came from what had been left of Shen's army. They had reformed, and were now at work, helping to repair the damage they had caused.

Po slowly swept his head from left to right, taking in everything. Viper did the same, but from right to left. They had absolutely no idea what to do, or where to go. When they had been here before, they had been sneaking in, and all they had to do was head towards the enormous tower in the center of the city. But now, since the tower had been destroyed, they were quite lost.

Fortunately, they spotted someone they recognized in the crowd; Master storming Ox, one of the Master's Council, who had also helped them take down Shen. He seemed to be overseeing the reconstruction of a bridge, the same bridge, Viper realized, that Shen had blown to pieces with his cannon the first time they were there. She saddened, why would someone cause this beautiful city so much damage? The one they were born in, no less. She just couldn't fathom Shen, and he puzzled her.

Even as she thought this, she was turning to Po. However, Po wasn't there! Startled, she looked around, until she caught sight of what looked like a black-and-white blob, running full speed towards Master Ox. She sighed, and went after him.

"Master Ox! Master Ox!" Ox turned, hearing his name, and accidentally whacked someone on the jaw with his horns as he did so. He was clearly out of his element.

"Who's there?" Ox looked around, and spotted Po.

"Po! What in the name of thunder...what are you doing here?"

"W...we...we came...t...to help" Po panted, out of breath from his run.

"Help? You mean with the reconstruction?" Ox seemed surprised.

"Yes, Master Ox." said a small voice, belonging to everyone's favorite snake, namely Viper.

"Viper? Your here too? Why come all the way out here to help?" Ox asked them.

"Well..." Po began, but Viper finished for him.

"Po got himself in trouble, and as punishment, we were sent over here to help you."

"Oh" said Ox, "Well, we can certainly use the help, things have been going haywire over here."

He noticed Po and Viper's bags, and offered to take them. "Here, I'll take you to the barracks, you can drop your stuff off there."

As they walked towards the barracks, Po Asked questions. "Things are going haywire? Anything I can handle...with my FIST?" he made a fake punching motion, and waved to a sheep that smiled at him.

"Oh, I wish." Ox answered, "It turns out that politics, Po, is just like the battlefield, exept a whole lot more complicated. Usually, Rhino would handle the political side of things, and we would do the physical, but...you know. Anyway, now that he's gone, we have to juggle between politics and the reconstruction work. If we spend too much time on the politics, the people think we don't care about them, and if we don't do the paperwork...let's just say some important official somewhere starts blowing his stack."

They made a pause for a few seconds as Ox took his breath. It made sense that they would be busy, Gongmen was one of the largest seaside cities, and as such, was sort of the center of a spiderweb of trading routes, worked out by Shen's parents, Lord Ti'phan and Lady Mei lin.

"As it turns out," Ox continued, "people can be just as vicious with papers as they can be with swords. As soon as we started showing weakness with our business deals and proposals, they start piling more stuff on us. We have already rejected several quite ridiculous offers to buy the city."

Viper couldn't help but ask. "Why don't you get someone who is good with politics to help you? It would lighten your workload."

Ox sighed. "That idea has come to mind several times. However, Croc is against it because whoever we pick would practically have free reign over the city. We can't make heads or tails out of that political gobbeldy-gook, and everyone knows it. We don't want sneaky legislatures passed under our noses."

"Ok," Viper answered, "So why don't you vote on it? Sometimes a risk has to be taken, and the benefits would outweigh the risk, at least for a short while."

"Because," Ox informed her, "our voting system collapsed with the passing of Rhino. I'm for it, Croc's against it, and tie! Every time, a tie! We can't get anything done because we only have two voters!" Ox was obviously angry about this. He calmed himself, however, and continued talking.

"Well, anyway, you can see why we are glad to see you. We can use you, Viper, to help Croc with the politics..."

Viper nodded. Being the daughter of Great Master Viper, who was the head of her village, politics were in her blood.

"And Po can help me, with the actual, physical work!"

"Ok..." Po said. He couldn't see the reasoning behind this, work was never one of his strong points.

"Ah, here we are!" they were interrupted in their thoughts by Ox's voice, gesturing towards the currently empty barracks. He showed them to their rooms.

"I'll just leave you for a while," Ox said, "get acquainted with everything, I'll be back in a while." he turned, and left the hall. After a short while, he was back, and he had brought Croc with him. Croc was rattling on about some deal he had just refused, and Ox was reading Croc's letter before he sent it.

"... we cannot afford to trade the city for your toothpicks, so with all due respect, we have to decline your offer. Yes, that's good, you can mail that...Oh! Croc, meet our guests!"

Croc smiled, and waved. " 'ello!" he said, with his Italian accent. "I hear you are going to help me?" this was addressed to Viper.

"Oh yes, I believe so..." She answered.

"Oh good! I can use you..." with that, he picked her up and dragged her away, presumably to show her the work that needed to be done.

Po looked around nervously. Ox was still reading the letter, perhaps he could sneak out and pretend to have gone with Croc...

No such luck. Ox looked up at him. "Here, come with me. We'll just send this letter, then I'll show you what needs doing."

After Ox had sent the letter, Po was dragged around town, showing him all that needed doing. There was indeed a ton of it, all the buildings that had been crushed when the tower fell, the tower itself, the bridge, clearing the harbor, to name a few.

Viper was also getting a tour, as Croc told her all the political deals and entanglements that she would be sorting. Apparently, some people were very interested in buying the city, and there were social letters, and trade agreements, every kind of complicated thing you could imagine.

The question on both Po and Viper's mind: "What have we got ourselves into?"

* * *

_Author's note: Here's a chapter! Thanks to all my loyal reviewers, (namely Shen's General and Alpha Tiger) I have become motivated to post another chapter double quick! You may have noticed the chapters are getting longer, and as a result, take longer for me to finish. Sorry!_

_Until next time, bye!_


	14. intervention

Chapter Eighteen

"NONOHEBELONGSTOUSSS!"

_ A lifting sensation..._

"... I don't know, but one must cover all the possibilities..."

"Hey hey, it seems our destiny child is waking up!"

Shen blinked. Everything was blurry... Where was he? He looked around. From what he could tell, he was lying on the ground, with grass all around him. He could hear a river somewhere.

He looked up. In his blurry vision, he could see a white face peering down at him, but he couldn't see much detail...wait, wasn't he supposed to be dead? He really must be a failure, to fail at dying twice...

He looked back at the face, and studied it more closely. Looked feminine somewhat...certainly a bird, it even resembled a peacock somewhat...

"I know, I am too pretty to look away from." Shen blushed. Certainly feminine though. Perhaps a peahen?

"How long have I been here?" he asked.

"You have been dead for twenty hours now." the mystery girl answered, swishing her train.

Wait...train? What kind of a peahen had a train? Shen examined her closer. She was all white, with all the colors of a cloud, although she seemed to glow, and when the glow touched her feathers, a rainbow would twinkle out. She seemed to be examining him as well.

"What are you staring at?" he demanded, rather harshly.

"I could ask you the same question!" She said. Her voice was high and light. It seemed she was a breeze talking.

"Well you could," Shen replied, "but I can still ask you...wait...did you just say I was DEAD for the last twenty hours?"

"I did" she said, as if was the most natural thing in the world.

"So how am I..." Shen began but then realization dawned on him. "Ahhhh...so this must be Heaven..."

"Ahh, I knew that brain of yours would start working!" the mystery girl smiled, "But really, you must be the biggest sinner of them all! Every demon in Hell was after you!"

The two sat in silence for a while. Eventually, Shen spoke.

"Why save me?...I..I deserve to be there...I'm a monster..."

The girl looked at him, with a light in her eyes that reminded him of his nanny. "So you," she said, "Can fulfill your destiny." She looked at him in the eyes. "Admitting that what you did was wrong is the first step towards restoration."

Shen looked down. "I would never be forgiven,.. I can't even forgive myself. No one else who knows who I am would even look at me...that is, if they didn't attack me on sight...even my parents hated me..."

he winced, knowing what she was going to say. "Here comes the 'your parents loved you' line..."

"Your right." the girl said.

"Excuse..excuse me?"

"I said you are right. Your parents hated you, they couldn't stand you, and they were absolutely horrible."

"Don't speak of them that way," Shen stuttered, "Th..they are still my parents...I can't let you disrespect them like that."

She smiled. Her eyes were shining. "You couldn't stand that, could you?" she asked.

Shen said nothing.

"You couldn't have me saying that because it was a lie, and deep down inside, you knew it! There must be a seed of good in you somewhere, all it needs is some nurturing, and..." she looked him full in the eyes, and touched his chin, "It will grow... You have much good in you, Shen, all you need is to realize it. Do you want to do that?"

Shen looked down, breaking the contact. "What's the point of this conversation?" he asked, "I am dead already. My life is set in cement, and history has me down as the worst criminal in the history of China..." he looked back up at her. "And there is nothing you or I can do about that."

She smiled a knowing little smile. "Nothing? As in not anything? That's a pretty big accusation, Shen."

She stood up, and gestured around her. "I can take a step forward. Look, the grass is bent. Who knows how it would have grown had I not stepped on it?" She looked at him.

Shen stared. "I don't get it."

She sighed. "I was afraid of that. I'll explain it differently." She sat back down, and tilted her head. "You never knew how close you were, Shen."

"Wha..." Shen was about to respond, but an image of himself, blasting a panda out of a factory instantly flashed through his head.

"You never knew how close you were to killing your adversary." The girl continued. "When you shot Po out of the factory, he would have died, had it not been for intervention."

Shen watched the scene flash through his head, he watched his nanny betray him and save his dreaded enemy. He watched Po come to terms with his past, and he watched him take control of his future.

Shen bowed his head. His nanny had betrayed him. Again. Not only that, but if he had not shot Po into the river, he never would have been able to find peace. It was another example of whatever he did, pushing him towards his defeat. A tear came to his eye.

The girl noticed this. "You see destiny, don't you? But what you didn't notice was the intervention! If the soothsayer had not intervened, you would have won!"

Shen looked at her, with rage in his face. "Why must you keep torturing me? I already see how I FAILED! Everything I did just made it more possible for me to...lose...I already see that!" he instinctively felt for a blade, but found he had none.

"That is not what I am trying to say!" the girl said, touching the end of his beak. "The soothsayer intervened, and caused your defeat-..." she raised a primary feather, silencing Shen's retort, "And now I am intervening, causing someone else's defeat."

Shen gawked. "In case you haven't noticed, female, I am already DEAD, and so are you!" he glared at her, "You intervened too late!"

"No, no I didn't." She answered mysteriously. "Your body may have died, but your spirit and soul still live, instead of being...in there." She gestured towards something in the distance that was invisible to Shen.

"Where?" he asked. "Hades." she said simply. "I rescued you from Hades, just a few hours ago."

"Oh..." Shen had nothing else to say. The girl, however, did. "Your body is not suitable for you anymore, but don't worry, we will make one around you."

Shen stared. What was she talking about?

"Sending you back, of course!" she laughed. Seeing someone find out that thought, in the spirit world, is speech, was always funny to her.

"S..sending..me back?" he stared at her.

"Well yeah!" she seemed surprised. "Your destiny in your world is not complete. You are going to be sent back!"

He stared at her, then gasped. "Who...who are you?"

She laughed. "Haven't you figured that out yet? I am Fenghuang, Queen of Avia, and all that pompous fiddle-faddle. Really, Shen, I expected you to know your heritage better!"

"But..but.." he looked her up and down. "Your...white! You are the avatar of rebirth! You cannot be the color of death!"

Fenghuang darkened. "White...white is not the color of death. White is simplicity, beginnings, purity before corruption. White symbolizes the life of brightness that exists here, in Heaven. White is light, and it's absence creates darkness." She looked him up and down. "And white is also the color of a certain peacock, who is certain that the gift he was given is a curse."

Shen glowered.

"Of course..." Fenghuang continued, "When you are sent back...that doesn't have to be."

Shen looked up quickly. "You mean..." he gasped, "That when you send me back...you could give me my colors?"

"Yes, if that is what you wish." Fenghuang answered.

Shen suddenly had a mental vision of himself, suddenly blooming into glorious colors. But then the vision changed, to that of himself standing...but no. That was not him. His color and his identity were intertwined. Even his name refered to his color, meaning 'divinity', an attempt by his parents to cover up his whiteness being a bad omen. His whiteness made him Shen, and not someone else...

Fenghuang knew the battle going on in his mind. "the time has come, Shen," she said, "to choose your destiny. Your color determines who you are." She smirked a little, and added "So, who are you, peacock?"

Shen looked up at her, even as he did so, he knew his choice. "I am Shen Lee Han, the white peacock of Gongmen city! And I embrace my destiny!" He lowered his voice. "Finally."

Fenghuang beamed. "I was hoping you would come to that decision. Indeed, you have come a long way. Just one year ago, there would have been no decision."

Shen looked around. For once, he felt like he had made the right choice.

Fenghuang walked up to him. "Remember," she said, "a second chance like this is not given to just anyone. Make good use of it."

With that, she lightly kissed him on the top of his head. At first, it felt like ecstasy, washing over him from head to toe. Then, it became pain, the worst pain that he had ever felt. It covered every millimeter of him, washing him in blood. He felt he was falling; light started wrapping itself around him, and heaven started to fade.

"Goodbye, my child." He heard Fenghuang say, then he was gone...

He found himself standing in that same room under the water. A soft glow still emanated from him, so he took advantage of it to look around. Wooden walls, iron ceiling and floor... Ahh, that is where he was. He had specially designed the powder room on each ship to be able to withstand incredible strains and pressures. That is where he must be. He looked up. He could see a huge crack in the ceiling, sealed by the remains of his cannon. He looked down...

then something caught his eye.

Was that...with the utmost horror, Shen realizes what that was. Lying in the center of the room, directly under the crack, was the body of a white peacock. Nervously, he approached it. He knew what it was, what else could it be? It was HIMSELF, lying dead on the floor. He reached it, and, quaveringly reached out...

It moved! As his wing reached it, it's head suddenly turned, and it's eye opened.

For just a second, the two Shens were staring into each other's eyes... Then Shen's reflexes kicked in, and he leaped back, screaming. His claws made sparks on the floor, and in the light of the sparks he could see a crate marked "Huoyao" (gunpowder).

He had just enough time to think "Oh brilliant" before the crate exploded, and he felt a block of wood impact his head... Then everything went black.

* * *

_Author's note: Yup, Shen is baackk...and he met Fenghuang. By the way, Fenghuang may have seemed a little out of character for a Phoenix, but she is the epitome of the female, I know very few females who act all grave and wise ALL the time... And I'll explain who she intervened against sometime in the future. (not in this story.) I did sort of add the similarity to the scene where the soothsayer finds Po and helps him realize his potential on purpose, by the way._

_Anyway, thanks for reading, reviews are highly appreciated._


	15. When they float home

Chapter Nineteen

"Valued Lord of the most honorable and prestigious City of Xinleng, your proposition of trade was, to say the least, insulting. To give up our valued spice trade to you..."

Viper sent off another letter, her fifth one today. Gongmen city's trade kept it one of the most prosperous cities in China, but it sure caused a ton of problems. An example? Well, the case that Viper was working on now was the perfect illustration.

The city of Xinleng, a large city in Xingfu province, wanted to enter a trade of spices with them, in return for their metal. The problem? Well, Gongmen was currently getting it's spices from India, trading it for fireworks. The spices Gongmen traded with South Cloud, another large city to the west of Gongmen, in exchange for silks, which they traded for gems from Niánlao, who traded the silks with West Pearl, who gave spices in exchange that they got from South Cloud.

The whole system kept everything in good health, but was very confusing. Viper felt a headache coming on...

BAAAARRRROOOOMMM! The ground shook, and a few pictures and vases fell over.

"That was the loudest headache I ever had..." Viper said to herself, rushing to the window to see what was going on. She could see a column of steam out in the distance, but not much else.

She fairly flew out the door towards the harbor. She reached it, and could already see a crowd gathering on the shore. She spotted Po and Ox on the shore, and slithered up to them.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I'm not quite-..." Ox tried to explain, but was interrupted by Po.

"We just, like, pushing this block of rock round a corner, and then BOOM! There's like this tower of water and fire, it was so AWESOME!"

Viper looked out over the water. The steam was just dissipating, and the crowd was starting to do the same thing. She noticed the soothsayer standing there as well.

The mist from the explosion was wafting over the town, making it hard to see. She turned to leave. She started slithering back to the barracks, but she found herself stymied by the mists and forks in the road. She decided to just slither along the shore, until the mist cleared.

The soothsayer was heading back towards her house. She needed to finish her laundry, and she didn't want it to float away, (she had been washing it by the shore), so she was hurrying.

Viper slithered slowly up the shore, listening to the natural noises. She always liked the sound of the seashore, it was soothing, and peaceful. She scanned the ocean. Wait! What was that? Was it someone floating in the water? She craned her neck, trying to get a better view...

The soothsayer could see her laundry basket, which she proceeded to rummage through to make sure it was all there. It all seemed to be there, but she scanned the shore, just to be sure...wait, she knew it! There was something over there, partially in the water. She hurried over to pick it up...

Viper could see it clearly now, it was definitely a body, without thinking, she dived into the water, swimming as fast as she was able. She finally reached whoever it was, some kind of bird. It was heavy. She started dragging it towards land. It was much harder than swimming alone. She reached land eventually, and dragged the bird onto the shore. She turned it over to see it's face...

"Oh gosh!..."

The soothsayer quickened her pace. She realized that this 'pile of clothes' looked like...a body. Oh goodness! Was it possible? She hurried over to it. Yes, she was right! It was Shen! But...was he even alive? She checked for a pulse. Yes, there was a pulse, but just barely... Quickly, she looked around, and dragged Shen into her laundry basket. She felt like she was doing something sneaky, a new feeling for her.

"Oh man oh man oh man...what am I going to do?"

Viper slithered back and forth, considering her dilemma. If she had just left him in the river... Now she was committed, she just practically saved his life...

Speaking of which, why was he still alive? Should she get Po? Or Ox or Croc? What was she going to do? Her thoughts were interrupted by Shen coughing. "

He's waking up! Oh man oh man oh man... Get a grip on yourself Viper, that doesn't help anything..." She looked at Shen. He looked harmless enough... Perhaps she could just leave him there...

She turned back to Shen. And saw him staring at her, out of one, red, eye.

* * *

_Author's note: I am SOO sorry for the short chapter, this was intended to go on the end of the 'Intervention' chapter, but I forgot... Sorry. I was going to just add it anyway, but I don't like replacing chapters, unless there is something glaringly wrong with them... _

_Just to make this clear, on the last chapter, that was Fenghuang the Phoenix, not Fenghuang the owl._

_Anyway, to respond to Alpha tiger, Fenghuang will not be appearing later in THIS story, she has informed me that she has other plans, but fear not! As a huge fan of Phoenixes, I already have a story planned out involving her._

_Again, thanks for reading...you don't have to review this chapter._

_ And yeah, I did make two Shens. _


	16. Retrieval operations

Chapter Twenty

Night came slowly, and for the formerly furious five that are now frolicsome four, it came even slower. Cramped in their waiting positions, they waited for dusk. Fortunately all those years of flexibility training made things better then they could have been.

When dusk finally arrived, things started to get dangerous. As the bats started to leave the cave, several flew quite near their hiding spot.

They watched bats zip by, to every direction on the map. After a few minutes though, the bats started to spread out, and most moved away from the cave.

Most. There were still a few hanging upside-down outside the cave entrance.

"We can't have those there, we will never be able to get the noodle cart past them!" Monkey speculated. "Mantis, go take 'em out."

"What, me?" Mantis complained, "I don't like bats. At. All."

"Oh," Monkey replied, "I forgot. It's the 'natural predator' thing, isn't it?"

"Yeah!" Mantis exclaimed, "Hey, don't look so smug, is you were asked to take out a ten-foot tiger, you would hesitate!"

"Mantis, you are the only one small enough to get to those bats without being seen. We are all depending on you." What Tigress said was true.

"Why did Master Shifu have to send Viper away?" Mantis looked from face to face, before finally crumbling. "Fine, I'll go. But if I die, take all Monkey's almond cookies!"

"Don't think about dying." Crane instructed, "Now go get those bats!"

Mantis crept along the leaves and branches, until he was directly between the two bats. With lightning fast movements, he struck one bat with his claw, then with his foot. The bat collapsed. The other bat was more of a challenge. It blocked Mantis's strike with his wings, then dropped into the air, spinning downwards. It flapped it's wings and flew back up, and lunged at Mantis, hoping to strike him with his wing-blades.

Mantis dodged to the side, but the bat spread it's wings and span, striking the insect with his wingtip. Mantis hurled himself at the bat, but the bat suddenly fanned it's wing in Mantis's face, causing him to harmlessly bounce off. Suddenly, the bat's face showed an expression of pain, then the animal collapsed. Crane hovered where it used to be.

"Th-thanks buddy..." Mantis panted.

"No problem," Crane grinned, "it's my job."

"Ok, so now we're even."Mantis looked towards the cave. "Well are we going to go in there or not?"

Crane picked them all up and dropped them in the cave. They dived behind some stalagmites until Crane returned with the noodle cart. They looked around. There were passages everywhere.

"Man, these caves are like a maze." Mantis said, "We'll never find those scrolls here."

"I found it!" Monkey said.

"You did? Where?" Tigress asked.

"Right there. See, it says so on the map." Monkey gestured to a large map by the entrance of the cave.

"Why do they have a map there?" Mantis wondered.

"Perhaps so they don't get lost?" Crane answered.

"Memorize the map guys!" Mantis instructed, "We need to remember every-..."

Mantis was interrupted by Tigress pulling the map off the stand. "Or, y'know, we could do that..."

"Come on. We can't waste time." Tigress looked at the map. "That way."

They made their way through the labyrinth of tunnels, and were extremely glad of the map, and Tigress's night vision. They came across a few bats, which they dispatched after some heated battles.

The bats style involved lots of spinning, and although they were not very strong, they made up for it in awareness. A bat's hearing is naturally better than almost any other animal, being able to create pictures in their heads out of sound, and with practice, the could literally fight blind. They could put up a good fight even when they were facing the other way. It was impossible to sneak past them. It was all very well outside the cave, where there were plenty of distracting noises, but the insides of the cave were eerily quiet. The slightest noise was the equivalent to a flash of light to the bats, and the noodle cart was rather squeaky.

"I knew we should have found something else!" Mantis whispered.

"Shhhhh!" Monkey hissed. They finally made it to the scroll room. They recognized several scrolls with the jade palace insignia etched on them. They started loading the scrolls onto the cart, now glad to have it. To carry all these would take several trips. Even so, they were each forced to carry as many as they could.

"What do you think you'r doing, you scoundrels!" The four turned in surprise. A bat stood in the doorway, looking them over.

"That map belongs by the door!" the bat put it's wing-fingers on it's hips, "people could get lost!" it walked up and yanked the map from Tigress. "Next time, think about other people besides yourself. That way, you'll get far."

The bat turned and left. The four couldn't believe it. "Um...gee, he just broke Po's stupidity record." Monkey grinned.

"Er...let's get going." Tigress looked around. "It's lighter this way. Let's go!"

They started off, Tigress in the lead, Monkey and Crane pushing the cart, and Mantis riding on top. They hadn't got very far, however, when they very nearly ran head-first into a whole platoon of bats, and only just managed to stop the cart and duck out of sight. The bats were preoccupied with something, and had not noticed them yet.

"What are we going to do?" Monkey asked, "We can't fight all those bats, not holding these scrolls!"

Tigress thought a while. "I-I don't know..."

The other's all gasped.

"Oh dear..." Mantis cried.

"What would Po do?" Monkey queried. What would Po do? Tigress smiled. He would probably just barrel through them...Wait! Barrel through them!

"Good call Monkey!" She cried.

"Uh...of course!" Monkey looked at her. "What call, exactly?"

"Listen," she said, "I have a plan. Everyone get in the cart."

"T-Tigress?" Monkey quavered. "Please tell me your not going to..."

"Just get in the cart." She looked round the corner. The bats were still looking at something. She looked back. Everyone was in the cart. She jumped behind it, and pushed...

"YAAAHHHHH!"

The bats whirled...and were bowled out the way by Tigress, pushing the cart like a battering ram. The bats shrieked, and dived to get out the way.

"It's working!" Mantis cried.

"Uh...guys?" Crane quavered, "STOP US TIGRESS!" he shouted out of the blue. He was joined by the others, shouting their heads off. Tigress struggled to stop the cart, and it slowly ground to a halt.

"Oh...phew!" Crane gasped.

"What was that all about?" Tigress demanded.

"Well, we-..."

Crane was interrupted by Mantis sneezing. A tiny sound. But enough to push them over the steep cliff they were balancing on the edge of!

"Whoa...WHOA!" Mantis screamed. He wasnt afraid of falling, it was all these giant scrolls rolling around that worried him.

Tigress strained to stop them, but it proved impossible.

"Lean us left!" Mantis suddenly shouted.

They all leaned left, and barely avoided the stalagmite that had been directly in their path. Tigress hopped on the cart. She peered forward. She could see more bats in the way...oh well, they would just have to move!

The cave filled with screaming bats, as they dived out of the path of the out-of-control cart.

"AAAHHHHHHhhhhh!" could be heard echoing down the cave.

"Lean us left again!" Mantis shouted. They each leaned left, and slammed parallel to a wall. They kept moving, however, as the were still going downhill...suddenly they were shot into the air, as the cart went over a bump.

"Hold on!" Tigress shouted.

"What do you think we'd do!?"

Suddenly, they could see light ahead.

"Oh dear..." Crane whispered.

Suddenly, they found themselves flying, soaring. It was oddly peaceful...until they started to fall.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They screamed in unison. (Except Tigress, she clapped her paw to her mouth to stop herself.)

They each looked over the edge of the cart...and saw the ground, several miles below them.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They screamed again. Really, who can blame them?

Crane, however, was used to this, and decided to do something a little more...useful. He jumped out of the cart, and grabbed it with his legs and pulled up with all his might. He could not carry them, but perhaps he could slow their fall... It was no use though, they were falling just too fast.

Down below, unaware of what was happening above them, some of the citizens of the Valley of peace were gathered around to watch as Mr. Ping unveiled his latest culinary creation.

"Good morning everyone!" The goose waddled up to the sheet, and laid a wing on it. "I am sure you are all wondering what is under this sheet. I have worked very hard on it, and am very excited to show it to you!"

The citizens gasped. Not at the goose, but at something high above, falling out of the sky.

"So without farther ado," Mr. Ping continued, "I give you...the world's BIGGEST dumpling!" He pulled the sheet off, and the massive dumpling jiggled a bit.

"I will let you get a plateful of it for just twenty yuan!"

Suddenly, something streaked down. Pieces of dumpling went everywhere.

"My dumpling!" Mr. Ping gasped.

Three heads stuck out of the dumpling.

"We-we're alive?" It was Mantis, Tigress, Monkey and the cart! Crane landed gracefully to the side.

They looked up, and saw Mr. Ping looking down at them. "That will be twenty yuan each, if you please."

* * *

_Author's note: Yup, another chapter. It might be a while before I put the next one, but hold the fort!_


	17. The gate to redemption

Chapter Twenty-One

Shen surveyed the sky wearily. He could hear water, and he seemed to on a shore. His first thought was that he had better not be dead again, because that would be just embarrassing...

He slowly looked to the side. "Please...don't be Fenghuang..."

He looked down, and sighed in relief. He recognized this place, it was the shore by Gongmen city!

"At least it's not Heaven...that just sounds weird." He sat halfway up, and then became painfully aware of his injuries. He clutched his chest, and flopped back down.

It was then that he noticed Viper. She was slithering back and forth, not looking at him, and muttering to herself.

He cocked his head. He recognized her, and hated the memory. But it wasn't like he could do anything about it. He just watched her slither back and forth.

Eventually she looked at him. She seemed to be surprised that he was awake, as soon as she saw him looking at her, she froze.

Shen was confused. Why was she so edgy? And why was he here? He looked around, surely there was some other Kung Fu master around, maybe some guards with spears, but no, there wasn't a soul in sight. Viper sure didn't seem about to start a conversation, and he wanted some answers.

"Er...hello?" He really couldn't think of anything else to say.

Viper didn't answer, she just darted her eyes over him.

"What are you looking at?" He tried again. She just stared. "What's with you? You look like you've seen a ghost..." He trailed off. Come to think of it, seeing a white peacock who you were sure was dead would bring 'ghost' to mind...

"How..." Viper finally said something. "How are you still a-alive?"

"I don't know..." He answered, "I was dead an hour ago... Are you alive?"

"Last time I checked... You were dead an hour ago?"

She was getting more worried by the second. Were his thoughts even coherent? He always was mentally unstable, perhaps he had finally gone stark, raving mad...

"Yes...or maybe it was another hallucination...like the dead me staring back..." Shen said nonchalantly.

Viper stared. "Um..." she stopped. What was one to say to a temporarily crippled genocidal murdering warlord?

"What are you doing here?" Shen asked.

"Er...I got lost, and I found you floating in the water...I didn't know it was you, so I dove in and saved you..." She didn't know what else to say. This was the most awkward conversation she ever had.

So she was alone. At least he had a chance. Perhaps he could...he stopped his thoughts. A chance to do what? While he was in Heaven, he had his plan all sorted out, but now, everything was rather fuzzy.

_ "Not everyone is given such a second chance, make good use of it."_ Fenghuang had said.

But what had she meant? Make good use of it to...take over China? Or...he shuddered at the thought...reform?

It wasn't that he was afraid to reform, it was all the humiliations he would suffer on the way.

In truth, he was tired of himself. He had spent the last thirty years fueled by his rage, only capable of thinking along one track. Now his anger had dissipated. He was finally humbled.

Pride is everything to a peacock, it is the driving force behind most of his actions. With Shen, it was far more so. He had finally lost his pride, and his anger was lost with it, but he gained something else.

Shen slowly came to a realization. He had been thinking all this without once thinking how it related to his plans to take over China. He was sane. Something everyone takes completely for granted.

He marveled at all the little complexities he was able to do in his mind. He was happy, for the first time in thirty years!

"Hah! I'm sane! I'm sane!" He shouted. He couldn't believe it.

"You seem crazier than ever to me." Viper commented.

Viper's retort instantly killed his new happiness.

"Y-you think so?" He quavered.

Viper just stared. Was this the same peacock that vowed that all of China would bow at his feet? Was that the peacock that was now looking at her with genuine FEAR? Over his sanity? She never imagined that he even cared about his state of mind.

Shen WAS afraid. He was afraid that it was another lie, that his newfound sanity was just another trick that his mind was playing on him, that was in reality only the next depth of insanity.

Viper softened. Sure, he was an unrepentant murderer, but that doesn't mean she should be mean, right? She got the uncomfortable feeling it did.

"Eh, look..." She said, "I shouldn't have said that... I'm...s-sorry." Why had she said that? There was no way she had to apologize...if anything, he should practically be on his knees, begging for mercy.

Shen was confused. "Don't apologize." He hardened, "I don't want your sympathy!"

His menacing tone was lost on Viper however. She had a massive advantage over other people when dealing with Shen, because, being deaf, cruel tones could not work on her. She had to add her own tones, and being a rather cheerful individual, the tones she added were always rather cheery. So, instead of sounding harsh, Shen ended up sounding sad, and sorrowful.

"Look...you may not like me all that much, but unless you want me to just leave you here..."

Shen sighed. That was exactly what he wanted.

"...for someone else to find you..."

Shen stiffened. He certainly didn't want that!

"...then I suggest you come with me."

"I don't want to come with you." He tried to get up, bracing himself for the pain.

"I don't want to be chained up, beaten, then sentenced to a slow and painful death." He looked at her. "I can't die. I have done that already, and I'm back. There must be a reason, not everyone comes back from death...I cannot die again."

She stared. "You...died? And...you were sent...back?" In her mind, she thought, "What kind of nut sends HIM back? He doesn't deserve a second chance!"

Shen closed his eyes. "I know I don't deserve a second chance, but I was given one, and I...and I will fulfill my destiny."

Viper started. Had someone given him mind reading lessons?

"You know Shen..." she said, "Your destiny is only what you make it to be. What...what is it you want to do?"

Shen took a deep breath. "I-I want...I want to...change. I am tired of myself, Viper." He stood up, wincing at the pain and wobbling, but standing nonetheless. "I am tired of myself. I wish...I wish, that I could be remembered as...as someone besides me."

He sighed. "I want to change my ways," he lowered his voice. "If only I knew how..."

Speaking softly did not dissuade Viper, words sounded the same to her no matter how quiet they were spoken.

"You...you want to...change?" She looked at him in surprise. "Are you ready for that?"

She could not believe what she was hearing. Shen, the warlord murderer, wanted to... to change! And he didn't know how! Oh dear...she had a sudden urge to help him, to reach out and break that steel coat he had put on his heart.

She saw the pained eyes, now unmasked at last.

"Are you sure you are ready for that?" She repeated.

"I have spent fifty years walking in darkness." Shen opened his eyes and looked directly into hers. "I want to see the light."

* * *

_Author's note: Here is another chapter, earlier than even I anticipated! You may not have noticed, but my chapters are getting longer (I just finished one with 6000+ words) and, as a result, are much harder to put out._

_Anyway, to the only two people who bother to review, (Alpha Tiger and Shen's General) my sincerest thanks. You guys keep me obligated to continue updating regularly. Otherwise, I would just randomly update it._

_Thanks for reading! If you like, please review! If you don't like, review anyway!_

_Untill next time, goodbye!_


	18. Meanderings

Chapter Twenty-Two

The soothsayer had reached her home in the abandoned panda village.

She had managed to get home without raising to much suspicion, even though she had been stopped by Master Ox once, who asked if she wanted any help carrying her laundry basket, which of course she had refused.

She looked at her 'guest'. He remained unconscious, and still barely breathed. She knew that his condition was critical, that he probably would not live long, and that even if he did, he would be a cripple for life.

She checked his injuries. He had a broken wing and left leg, several broken ribs, and a hideous welt on his head, along with, (most worryingly) a neck broken in several places. She could only pray there were no internal injuries.

She couldn't bear to watch him die, even though she was painfully aware of what he had become. She found a bag of ice to put on his head. He moaned at the cold touch, his first sound since she found him. She started, and checked his face, but he was still unconscious.

"Oh Shen..." she said softly, "Why couldn't you see what you were turning into? Look at where it got you!"

He didn't respond. "Shen, I know you can hear me!" She was fighting back tears. "You may not survive, but know that I did everything I could to help you!"

Shen lay there, still and silent. He might as well have been dead. The soothsayer sat and thought. She wondered whether she was doing the right thing, or was she just prolonging his misery.

She knew the future, but her predictions rarely made sense, even to her. She sighed. She remembered her first prediction, it was what her presents were for her birthday. This had earned her a scolding for spying.

The future was supposed to be a mystery, that was the order of things. Knowing the future was a two edged sword. In truth, mortals were not meant to know the future. She could not count how many lives and destinies had been destroyed by attempts to change fate, Shen's case included. What people do not seem to get is that the future can be altered by knowledge of it. Her predictions showed a course if events that could not have come to pass had she not predicted them.

She suddenly stood up. She could not bear it any longer. She reached out towards Shen, and plucked a small secondary feather, and tore of a small piece of his robe. The action brought back memories...

_"Why don't you look into your bowl, and tell me what glory awaits?"_

_ "I see pain...and anger..." _

She had not been joking. When she looked at Shen, she saw madness, thinly covering a vat of self-loathing, of hurt and anger, of ambition, and buried deeply, the desire to be loved... She saw someone who deeply wanted love.

That was, to her, the real reason he wanted to take China. In his madness, he had confused the motives behind love. If he could not have the love of his parents, then he would have the admiration of his subjects, and he cared not how many people were hurt in order for him to get it. She dropped the feather and piece of cloth into the bowl...

She closed her eyes, as more memories came over her...

_"Soothsayer!" _

_"Yes?" she looked up in surprise. Lord Ti'phan rarely spoke to her. _

_"Our son...our son has been playing with fireworks..." Ti'phan said, worriedly. _

_"That is not unusual. He is your son, after all, it is his heritage..." _

_"Yes, but he has been delving into ways to make them into...weapons." He looked around. "Perhaps we could speak somewhere more...private?" _

_"Of course..." The soothsayer followed Ti'phan into his quarters, and even though she had been in there several times before, the splendor of the place still took her breath away. The high ceilings, the artworks on the walls, the- _

_She was interrupted from her thoughts by Ti'phan closing the door. _

_"You were saying, my lord?" _

_"Ah yes, well, Shen has been trying to make fireworks into weapons..." _

_"That is also understandable, he cannot help but see fireworks as a thing of peril and of danger, after all, the only time he has ever seen them was when-..." She was silenced by Ti'phan raising his wing._

_ "Yes, I also understand that. Please don't misunderstand me, I don't mind the weapons themselves, it's just... Well, you remember what happened to his brothers and sisters, it's that fireworks are dangerous, and making weapons out of them is even more so, and..."_

_ Ti'phan was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Lady Mei lin walked into the room, looked around, then sat down. _

_"Ah yes," Ti'phan explained, "She wanted to see your prediction." _

_The soothsayer nodded. She understood. _

_"Well anyway," Ti'phan continued, "It's not the weapons themselves, after all, fireworks were originally intended as a form of defense, and I hear Shen is making some great progress, but I want to know...what will become of him?" _

_"We want to know if he will be safe if he continues his research." Mei lin spoke, for the first time. _

_"We will see." The soothsayer looked around. "Do you have some of his feathers, a bit of his clothes, perhaps?" _

_"No...no," Ti'phan said, "we didn't know that you would need them...OUCH! What was that-HEY! Do NOT chew on my clothes, you old goat!" _

_"Well," The soothsayer said, "Since you do not have any of his feathers, or any parts of his clothes, I will take them from his next of kin. And besides, they are tasty! Relax, we will soon see what will happen to our young prince..." _

The soothsayer snapped out of her memories. She already knew what happened next there. She blew the powder in the bowl, and smoke filled the room.

She watched images appear in the smoke, images that seemed to have leaped out of her memories at her.

There, hazy and majestic, appeared the image of a peacock, and a ghostly caw sounded out. But then, slowly swirling, the peacock was replaced with the symbol of yin and yang. She knew what it meant, she had made this very same prediction twice before.

_ A peacock is defeated...by a warrior of black and white. _

It was impossible! That had already come to pass! Why was she seeing it again? Where her skills finally leaving her? She was confused. She turned to the still-unconscious Shen.

"Oh Shen..." She said, nearly on the verge of tears, "What will become of you?"

* * *

_Author's note: Yay! More chapters! Thanks for the reviews, enjoy this prediction scene, from the soothsayer's perspective._


	19. Sliding emotions

Chapter Twenty-Three

Viper had brought Shen (with quite a bit of arguing) to a hut that was abandoned by the seashore. She had left him there for now, he wouldn't be going anywhere, even he wouldn't be so stupid as to try anything in broad daylight.

She was going to find Master Ox or Croc, Shen was in their jurisdiction, after all. However, she couldn't find either of them. Apparently, Croc was mailing a letter, and Po and Ox were still fixing the bridge.

What she did find, however, was a stack of mail. Obviously, the Lord of Xinleng city was not pleased with her refusal to enter a trade agreement with them, and was threatening to end their treaty.

Viper chewed on the end of her tail nervously. She wasn't THAT good with politics, her village had problems like having someones vegetable garden too large.

She read the letter again. It was very respectfully worded, and had a lot of honorary titles, but it was basically a gold-trimmed threat. She shook her head. She decided to catch up on that headache she had missed.

"Unnngghhh..." she groaned, "I really shouldn't have come..."

She decided to get herself something to eat. She wondered when was the last time Shen had eaten. It was almost a month since the battle with him in the harbor...

"Oh come ON! I have so much else to think about, and all that comes to mind is...him?" She hissed at herself. Shen didn't deserve kindness...

She stopped herself. Who was she to say what someone deserved? She sighed, gathered up some food in a basket, and slithered out.

She finally reached the hut, looking extremely creepy in the dying light.

Shen had been lying on some straw all day. This was an extremely humiliating day for him. That snake! He hated it when someone thought they could just leave, and expected him to just sit here.

He hated it even more when they were right. He knew he was in no shape for fighting, and he could not afford for anyone to see him. So he would just sit here, and smolder. What if that snake rattled on him? What if she went and got the other masters? He could stand death, but he knew he would die as painfully an humiliatingly as possible. He wouldn't entertain such thoughts.

But it was so BORING to just sit here! What was he supposed to do? Eventually he started throwing his knives at a post, just for the sake of activity. He found that his aim was somewhat off, and took the extra time to practice.

Viper opened the door, just as Shen threw his knife. She squealed, and ducked. The knife thudded into the wall right over her head.

She looked at Shen. For just a second, he looked embarrassed...then the expression vanished of his face and was replaced with his normal scowl.

"I hope you didn't mean that..." she said.

"I assure you, it was completely unintentional." Shen scowled. "I simply had nothing else to do, it was an accident..."

"Well," She said, "I brought you something to eat..."

She was worried about him eating? How typically female! Shen had always distrusted females. By the time he reached his teens, he was sure that females were inferior, rude, distrusting and annoying.

He had come close to altering his theory with Laeia, but when she rejected him...over a joke...it only hardened his belief. All the other peacocks treated them like some kind of gem, something to be won and prized, cherished even. He would NEVER be caught fixing himself up for some...girl.

"I'm not hungry." He lied, obstinately.

"You know," Viper said, raising an eyebrow, "For someone who wants to change, you sure aren't trying very hard."

Shen didn't respond. The truth was, he had not the slightest idea how else to act. He was trying to remember his etiquette lessons, but unfortunately he hadn't really ever paid attention to them.

He also was extremely hungry. He reached out and took a dumpling, trying to make it look like it was out of politeness, but that pretense vanished as soon as it touched his tongue.

Viper looked at him, in amused surprise. She had never, ever seen anyone eat so fast! Not even Po!

"You sure you aren't hungry?"

Shen didn't answer, probably due to the fact that his mouth was stuffed almost to bursting.

Viper watched him eat for a while, then pulled out the letter and considered her dilemma.

Shen noticed her concentrated face. He wouldn't have said anything, but hey, showing an interest couldn't harm his attempt to change.

"What's that you are working on?" He asked, with feigned interest. She didn't respond.

"Hello?" he said, "HELLO!?"

She still didn't even glance at him. He flashed his train in front of her face. THAT got her attention.

"Oh, so I appear to be visible again?" He glared at her. "Are you deaf? Why didn't you respond?"

She looked at him. "I was concentrating! And for your information, it just so happens that I AM deaf! So there!"

He looked away from her, embarrassed for a few seconds. Why was it that every time he tried to be nice, he ended up sounding like an insensitive jerk...for good reason. He WAS an insensitive jerk. Not that he tried to be nice all that often...

He knew exactly what he could say to make it up, but was he going to say it? Not a chance. Even his severely beaten pride couldn't allow that.

Viper looked up at him. She decided to tell him what her problem was. Surely it couldn't hurt...

"If you really want to know..." she began, and looked up to see If he was listening. He was. "I'm stuck in this really difficult political dilemma..." she proceeded to explain the whole thing.

Shen listened. He always found this kind of thing fascinating, solving difficult problems. He thought a while. He eventually spoke.

"Surely you don't give ALL your spices to South cloud?"

Viper looked up. "No, about half of the spices are used by the citizens..."

"Do the citizens use all that spice?" he stroked his cheek.

"No, but the surplus is rather small..." Viper cocked her head at him.

"So?" Shen asked. "Just send the surplus, get some metal back, send the metal to some city in India as a sample, in exchange for more spices, and trade the spices back to Xinleng."

Viper gawked. So...he was way better at this then her. He noticed her stupefied expression, and smirked.

"When one aspires to rule all of China, one had better be good at politics."

She sighed. "Why did you want to rule China?"

Shen stiffened. "I-I...I would prefer not to talk about that, not now."

Viper sensed a hurt in that area, and left it alone. She looked out the window, it was getting rather dark, she needed to get back. But how did she know Shen would stay here? She wouldn't, if she was in his position. She knew one thing, he was good at politics. He might be useful to have around.

So she decided not to tell the Masters about it, not just yet.

"This is a good solution!" Ox read her letter of reply. "Go ahead and send it." Viper exhaled. This worked better than she could have hoped!

So why did she have that nagging voice in the back of her head?

* * *

_Author's note: I would have updated sooner, but my iPad needed updating, and we all know how long that takes._

_On another note, this story has broken 50+ reviews! Thank you, my reviewers!_

_If you have questions about the story, put them in a review or pm me. I will gladly answer them for you._


	20. Short scenes

Chapter Twenty-Four

Aang had not had a good day. He had just returned from one of the scouting parties, to find the cave in absolute chaos. Apparently, someone had stolen the scrolls and you didn't need a IQ of 100 to figure out who that "someone" was. He had reports from two guards of being attacked by a mantis, several soldiers reported strange activity, others reported attacks, one bat even reported the stealing (and recovery) of the cave-map, and to top it all off, an entire PLATOON of bats reported being attacked by the furious five, and were defeated (they said) by the "Fire from their eyes and lightning from their claws". On top of that, he had a terrible head cold.

It really had been a terrible day. Calling to one of his Generals, he asked for a surmise of the situation.

"52 bats attacked,..." the General droned, "12 came in close contact, one had a conversation..."

Aang saddened. The news got worse and worse. 52 bats...against four. Fifty-two against four! Where they really that good? He didn't know that kind if power was possible. Kung Fu was that strong? They had just scratched the surface, surely, as neither he nor any of his bats could issue forth lighting from their claws. According to his general, they has escaped by flying from a ventilation shaft high above the valley, and yet they had survived...could they fly as well? Perhaps teaching his armies mastery of Kung Fu was not the best idea.

Perhaps he needed to rethink his plans.

* * *

Shen sighed. He was having another pretty boring day, and was waiting impatiently for Viper to show up. He was actually looking forward to her visits, but for no other reason than that talking to her was the only other thing he could do here. And because she brought him food. He would have starved to death by now, if she hasn't brought him food and water, and would have drowned if she hadn't pulled him out the water. He had asked her why she had done this things. All she had done was shrug, and say, "It was the right thing to do." This attitude scared him. If he had just captured a genocidal warlord, who tried to murder his close friend, FIVE times, tried to take his land, and on top of that, was really rude, he surely would have killed him, then and there.

But wasn't that what this was about? Changing his outlook and reactions to things? But seriously, just leaving him here would be incredibly stupid, even for a female. She had to have told someone that he was here...right? Yet here he was, still sitting here in unperturbed peace. Not that he could enjoy it, his insides were under far too much turmoil to enjoy tranquility... Anyway, he was still here, not surrounded by guards, not being attacked by any irate Kung Fu masters, and not being torn to pieces by an angry mob. She must not have told anyone... That was odd, for someone so dedicated to "Doing the right thing". She was betraying her friends for his sake. Someone who betrayed their friends was never to be trusted. Shen had learned that over years of experience.

Someone who betrays another, be it for a good cause or not, is ten times more likely to do it again. He would be wary of her. But he could not understand her motives. What good did it do, to keep him alive, to show him kindness? He did not comprehend kindness, as he could other motives. Kindness was alien to him, he distrusted it, as any animal shies away from that which is unknown. He preferred hate and malice, at least it was a devil he knew. He turned over, surveying his injuries. They were all minor, several burn marks dotted his skin, but had been cooled by the water. His most serious injury was to his head, a large purple welt rested on it. Whenever he tried to move quickly, he would be overtaken by fits of dizziness. It was crippling and embarrassing, no one knew about it except him.

He would rather die than tell the snake.

* * *

"Dissmissed!"

Shifu looked the four over. Somewhat battered and bruised, but otherwise okay. They bowed and left. Shifu watched them leave. He realized he had forgotten something. "Tigress!" he called, looking up, "Come back for just a minute."

Tigress walked back. What had she done wrong now? She couldn't figure out. Why, oh why couldn't he ever just be proud of what she had done for once?

"Yes Master?"

Shifu had to be careful. He knew more than anyone that his attempts at showing affection often backfired.

"I just wanted to say," he said, "That from the others reports, that your quick thinking and actions were what enabled them to complete the mission, and I want you to know..."

All Shifu had to do was say,

"I'm proud of you."

just four little words. Just four, and make an immesurrably large leap towards repairing the rift between him and his daughter. He who had fought rivals ten times his size, could surely not be afraid of saying four words! Except he was. He tried to force the words out of his mouth, but they just wouldn't come.

"...that I expect more of this performance in the future."

He was stunned. Had that just come out of his mouth?

"Yes Master, I will not disappoint you." Tigress bowed, and left.

"I am never dissapointed in you..." Shifu whispered. But was too late. She was already far out of hearing. Shifu felt like shouting...but course he didn't. Why was it that his cowardice decided to show now? He NEVER was cowardly in any other circumstance...

He sighed, and sat down, putting Master Oogways staff across his knees. What would Oogway have done? For once, he had no idea. Probably say something really wise and irrefutable. Why was he so wise? Probably from being so old...yet others were younger than he himself, and were nevertheless able to convey love and pride to their children.

Tai lung had destroyed more than he knew.

Tigress walked off. She was wiser to her foster father than he knew. He was going to say something else, she was sure of it, but had changed his mind halfway. It was probably a compliment. He never changed his mind about saying detriments... Was she not worthy of a compliment from time to time?

Could she never be worthy of some thanks? She had practically spent her whole life protecting people, and most of the time, she did it well. Was it wrong to want some benefits for her life's labor?

Of course, she did get benefits. She was one of the most feared and revered fighters in China, a considerable status. When she saved people, and saw the looks on their faces, it would seem that was all the thanks she would ever need.

But really, couldn't Shifu say anything nice, ever? Perhaps it was true, and she really wasn't worthy of praise. But perhaps, just perhaps, she was being a little too pessimistic. Shifu had just given her the nearest thing to a compliment, in over ten years.

He was trying... Just not enough.

* * *

It was like water, thick, syrupy water, keeping him down. No matter how hard he tried, he could not move an inch in any direction. Worse, he could hear the sighing sound of water, rushing off the back of a predator... Growling was heard, directly behind him, and he could feel hot breath on his shoulder. He turned around... And saw the most hideous thing he had ever seen in his life. Baggy facial skin, long, scraggly arms ending in tentacle-like fingers, slobbering fangs...he was looking a a demon.

"But this isn't your life anymore, is it?" The demon spoke, with a nauseating, sickening voice.

And then he realized it. He was dead, and in the depths of that dark, lonesome, infinitely horrible place known as hades.

"Welcome! You certainly earned your pass into here..."

He fought to swim upward, but it was no use. There was nothing he could do. He was going to be stuck here forever, with no respite, eternally in infinite torture... Suddenly, he was yanked upward with incredible force. A breath of air washed over him, and some void deep within him was filled. He subconsciously recognized it. It was life. Life had returned to him. Suddenly, all was quiet and dark, but peaceful, oh soothing peace! For the first time in a very long while, Shen sunk into the rest that was given him, perfectly at peace, for now at least.

The soothsayer heard the stirring and hurried over. Shen was still unconscious, but he was alive, and his breathing was evening out, becoming much more regular. He could wake up any time now. But, the soothsayer had to wonder...what then?

* * *

Po was tired. He had been out pulling heavy things all day. Who wouldn't be tired? Nothing really interesting had happened, (apart from that explosion) so he really had nothing to do, other than work. He couldn't believe they had only been here three days, it seemed like forever. He hadn't seen much of Viper lately, which was understandable, as she was also very busy. He flopped down on the bed-mat that Master Croc had provided for him, and fell into a deep sleep almost instantly.

Viper was worried. No news had come through for a while, so she practically had the day off. She had no idea what to do with it though... She slithered along slowly, almost unconsciously making her way towards the shack that was acting as a hotel/hospital for Shen. That peacock...he was an enigma to her.

He claimed to have returned from death's realm...was that true? According to him, he had met Fenghuang, who had somewhat healed the hurt he felt towards his parents, before creating a new body for him and sending him back. She had remarked that he had practically been rebirthed, which made him somewhat of a phoenix himself. He had seemed pleased by the idea. Had that really happened though? Or had it just been a figment of his already overactive and somewhat unstable mind? He DID seem in awfully good shape for someone who had just been crushed by a cannon, then had a crate explode in his face... Fenghuang must have been awfully fond of him. As well as a new, uninjured and rejuvenated body, he had been given some very nice new clothes, and even seven shiny throwing knives...the last item of which she had taken from him while he was asleep.

The clothes had become somewhat tatty from the explosion however, and even though he seemed rather attached to them, he would probably need some new clothes. He certainly would need some help, once she left... Once she left.

What on earth was she going to do about that? She knew, deep down, that keeping him hidden would only make it more painful for the both of them when the day of discovery finally came. She had nearly reached the shack. She stopped and took a deep breath, making a desision.

She decided that she would tell someone about Shen, either today or tomorrow. Perhaps she should have done that long ago... She could tell this was going to be painful, sending someone off to his death, but it was the right thing to do.

Wasn't it?

* * *

_Author's note: I will present an interesting fact about Aang. He is not taken from avatar, the last airbender, his name comes from a corruption of the Chinese word for wind: Fang. When they say it, it sounds like Aang, and that's where I got his name._

_Also, Viper has promised herself to tell someone about Shen! What will happen to him?_

_Answers to some questions:_

_Shen's General: Yes, but I will not say here. Don't worry, it will become apparent soon enough._


	21. Amnesic memory

Chapter Twenty-Five

The soothsayer started. She thought she had heard a noise... Of course it could have been because her nerves were on edge. She had gone shopping that day, and bought medical supplies, food, and other items. However, she got the distinct impression that that snake from the Valley of peace was trying to talk to her. She seemed to have been following her around, and the soothsayer had been hard-pressed to stay out of sight. She had managed, however, and had got home, promptly checking on Shen, before flopping on her bed to rest.  
Rest had been denied her, for as soon as she lay down, Shen had started to groan, a low, heart-wrenching moan, that instantly put her in a state of near-panic.

She had been immediately reminded of when he was a chick, watching him slowly fade away during one of his sicknesses, jerking back into consciousness, only to start fading away again. He always had been rather sickly, and considered a bad omen because of his color. When he was born, he was the youngest of his family, and his unusual color was not so much of a deal.

But after the sudden death of his siblings, the "White Prince" became the heir to Gongmen province. The people were less than happy about this. The way they saw it, he had been a bad omen, foretelling the death of his siblings. Since he, the unlucky one, had been the only one to survive, this was considered to foretell bad fortune for Gongmen.

She remembered holing him in her arms, telling that with every great evil comes a little good. He had misunderstood, thinking that she was calling him evil.

She hadn't meant that, of course... Anyway, she was now sitting bolt upright in her bed, straining her ears for the slightest sound. Nothing. Perhaps she had just imagined- No! There it was again! A slight scratching sound, barely perceptible, yet still there. She hobbled up, and grabbed her walking stick, and started to slowly make her way around the corner. If it was burglars, she didn't know what she would do... She peeked around the corner. She didn't see anything...just the usual ramshackle room, with Shen lying on a cot by the wall. She looked around...then movement caught her eye! Her head snapped to the side, her eyes searching for the source of the movement...then she saw it, and her jaw dropped.

Shen was awake.

His eyes were wide open, and his legs were twitching. He looked awful, but he was awake. She rushed up to him. He started back, very nearly blacking out from the pain of the effort.

"Shen?" she asked.

Shen looked at her, with absolutely no recognition in his eyes. "W-where a-a-am I?" he stuttered, wincing from the pain of just speaking.

"Your here, with me at the old panda village." the soothsayer answered.

"Wh-who ar-are you?" Shen quavered.

"You-you don't know me?" She asked, worriedly, didn't he recognize her? His nanny, who had stayed with him, comforted him, practically been his mother?

"Who...am...I?" Shen said, slowly looking back and forth. The soothsayer clutched her heart. He didn't even remember who HE was?

This could be serious... "What do you remember?" She asked him.

"I-I remember...I remember..." Sparks played in his eyes, and it seemed his memories were returning. Suddenly, he gasped and drew back quickly- then screeched, and fell once more unconscious from the pain of the movement.

The soothsayer shrieked and ran back to her medical kit, fetching a small cloth, which she dipped into a bowl of water, and rubbed Shen' head with it. Almost immediately, Shen started to moan, which very nearly gave her a heart attack. However, she gritted her teeth and continued. After a few long minutes, Shen's eyes fluttered open, and began searching the room. The soothsayer let out a sigh of relief.

"N-nana?" Shen moaned.

The soothsayer eyed him strangely. He hadn't called her 'Nana' in thirty years...not that she'd seen him that often.

"Yes?" she answered.

"Whe-where am I?" he looked around, and gasped from the pain. "What happened to me?"

"You had a cannon fall on top of you." she said, wiping his brow, "Honestly, you got off well."

"What's a-a 'cannon'?" Shen asked. The soothsayer looked at him worriedly.

"Oh...look, I have pwetty feathers!" Shen said.

The soothsayer nearly had another heart attack. "You have had those feathers for thirty-five years." she told him.

"Don't be silly Nana!" He looked at her with a somewhat adorable expression which did'nt fit him. "I'm only six..."

She snapped her head up to look closer at him. He was staring at her.

"No, your not six." she told him, "You are fifty-two..."

He glared at her. "That's not funny!" he pouted. Suddenly, he cocked his head, and asked, "Where's Mama...or or Baba?"

She stopped cold. "Y-your parents are...they are..." She winced. Shen was looking at her quizzically.

"Tell me!" he demanded, then sunk down a little. "They were too busy for me, weren't they?" He looked down. "Their always too busy..."

"No Shen!" The soothsayer nearly shouted. This was far more nerve-wracking then just moans... "Your parents are not too busy for you...they would come if they could!"

"Then why don't they?" He argued.

"Because..." she didn't know any other way to put it. "Because they are dead."

He looked at her. "No-...no they aren't..."

"Yes they are, Shen." She said. "They died twenty-five years ago."

Shen gaped. "No...they aren't dead..." he quavered.

The soothsayer only nodded.

"NO THEIR NOT! YOUR LYING! THEY CAN'T BE-..." Shen shouted, then fainted halfway through from the exertion.

For the next few hours, Shen faded in and out of consciousness, and it was always the same. Either he would remember nothing, or he would remember only the memories up to either the age of six or eight.

She tried everything she could think of to restore his memory, but everything she accomplished caused him to react violently, fall unconscious, and lose his memories again. She was afraid that he may be like this for life. Hopefully, time would fix it. But if only she had a way to know for sure!

Suddenly, she had a thought. Perhaps she did have a way to know... She stood up, and quickly walked back to her room. Shen, in one of his blank spells, watched her go, mildly inquisitive. The soothsayer returned promptly, holding her seeing bowl, which she set down next to Shen. Surely it couldn't hurt to try and predict the future in a case like this...

She quickly reached up and plucked a small secondary feather from Shen. He recoiled a little. She dropped the feather into her bowl, then ripped off another small price of robe. Shen watched all this with mild interest.

The soothsayer stirred the powders in the bowl, and smoke billowed upwards, but it was blank, as if the fates were thinking. Suddenly, an image of China appeared, sinking under the image of a ghostly peacock.

The peacock spread it's train. It was beautiful. But then, the peacock swirled, and fell, and was replaced with the symbol of Yin and Yang. Shen watched all of this. The soothsayer looked up at him, and gasped in horror. Sparks flew in his eyes, and this time, they caught, burning into a mad inferno.

_A peacock who attempts to rule China...is defeated...by a warrior of black and white._

"Impossible..." Shen said.

At once, she could tell that Shen's memories had returned, and with them, his rage, madness, hurt, and ambition.

"I will not be defeated by a panda... AGAIN!" he gasped, his eyes wide, bulging even. She had seen that expression on his face before, and it never meant anything good.

Shen jerked his head upright, nearly passing out, but fighting to stay awake.

"I...won't..I won't!" he tried to sit up, but it proved too much for him. He blacked out, still mouthing the words "I won't." What had she done? It was all clear.

She had done it again, destroyed Shen's destiny by predicting it. By predicting his fate, she brought it into being, gave it life, and set it in motion. She sighed, and looked Shen over. He looked so much more peaceful in his sleep...

What had she brought on herself, on China, by rescuing him? No one knew. Not even her, who professed to see the future. Truly it was said, "...tomorrow is a mystery..."

What a mystery it was.

* * *

_Author's note: I could not resist the amnesia cliche here! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I'm really hurrying to get them out for you guys!_

_And 60+ reviews! WOOT! Celebrate with me! Seriously, though, keep it up. And don't worry about my short chapters, they will soon start stretching._

_Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated, but not required!_

_Until next time, goodbye!_


	22. When discovered

Chapter Twenty-Six

Viper slithered around. She was looking for either Master Ox or Croc. She sighed. She had tried to tell that soothsayer-lady, she was rumored to be Shen's nanny, but she got the distinct impression that the soothsayer had been avoiding her... Was she still angry with her for hurting her chick? Anyway, she was going to keep that promise she had made to herself, or bust.

She slithered into the office, hoping to see Master Croc, but all that was there was an old spider, sorting out papers and humming to himself.

"Excuse me!" Viper called. The spider turned to her. "is Master Croc here?"

The spider shook his head.

"Do you know where he is?"

The spider nodded

"Can you tell me? I need to talk to him."

The spider shook his head.

"Why not?" Viper asked.

The spider opened his mouth wide and moved his hand back and forth in front of him.

Viper would have blinked, but snakes can't blink. "You can't talk?"

The spider nodded. "Can you write?"

The spider shook his head.

"Ok... Nevermind then." She sighed. "Tell me when he gets back."

The spider nodded.

Viper left the office. That was absolutely unproductive...she hoped to have better luck finding Master Ox...

She slithered all over town, and everyone seemed to have seen him, but she still was unable to find him. She checked the time. It was nearly one 'o clock, time to be getting some lunch.

She slowly made her way back to the barracks, which were stocked with food. She would get some for her and some for Shen.

Po was sitting on the floor, cheeks puffed out, with hands moving at near-impossible speeds, stuffing his mouth with as much food as he could. He had been raiding the kitchen like this every day since they arrived, and somehow had not been caught yet.

He heard the door open, and dashed behind a door. He heard someone come in, and, judging from the lack of footsteps, it was probably Viper. He would have greeted her, but his cheeks were still stuffed with food.

He peeked around the corner, and saw her gathering food in a basket. He nearly growled with anger. She was taking way more than her ration! The nerve of her, stealing food!

And where was she taking it? He watched her leave. He thought a while, then hit upon a plan. He would follow her, then catch her red-handed! Er...red-tailed. Anyway, he would catch her, and convict her of her sin.

He ran to the door, and peeked out. He could see Viper slithering away, dragging the basket behind her.

He got down on all fours, and ducked behind a flower pot. Peeking over the pot, he just caught sight of Viper's head, rapidly disappearing. He rolled up to a pillar, and pressed himself against it, then dodged behind a candy-cart.

Viper was making her way to the shore.

"Oh ho ho, Viper's gonna eat her ill gotten gain down by the seaside, eh?" Po remarked to himself.

Viper slithered up to the sea. She stopped, feeling the vibrations of the waves, pounding on the sand. The vibrations masked Po's footprints, which worked in his favor.

Viper continued up the shore. The path was becoming familiar to her. Reaching the shack, she knocked on the door (She didn't want another throwing knife in her face) and went in.

"Lunchtime!" She called, looking around. "Shen?"

"Behind you." Shen loved to do that. He looked at the basket hungrily. "You certainly took your time..."

"Well, I was delayed." Viper sounded annoyed. "Besides, I don't even have to come..."

Shen looked at her sideways. "Yet you do. Why?"

She thought. "Because if I didn't come, you would have to leave, and if you got caught, I'm pretty sure you would blab on me."

He smirked. "Your right. But, really, there's no other reason?"

Viper smiled. "Just eat!" She shoved a bean-bun into his wing.

"Very well," Shen said, taking the bun, "But if it's poisoned..."

She glared at him. "What gives you the idea I would poison it?" l"Well, you are a venomous SNAKE, after all... Poison is your thing." Shen suddenly chucked. "Besides, it was a joke."

She stared at him. "YOU? Made a joke? You never seemed the type..."

"Well, everyone has a first..." Shen said.

They sat, and began to eat together. It seemed odd, that two natural enemies and sworn rivals, from opposite sides of the good-evil circle, were sitting together, even somewhat comfortable with each other.

Po, after a lot of panting and puffing, had found the shack. He saw it, and stopped. "Whoa... Viper has her own stolen-food stash hideout!" He looked around. "Time for someone to crash the party!"

He crept up to the shack, and pressed his ear against the wall. He could hear dimmed voices, one of which was Viper's...and the other voice belonged to... Just the tone of that voice alone was enough to send him into a flashback.

_"Thirty years to plot his revenge, and he comes to me on his KNEES!"_

Po snapped out of it. Shen! That voice was unmistakable! But what on earth was he doing in there? With Viper!

He ran up to the door, and, taking a deep breath, he charged into the shack with a tremendous war cry.

"WWWWAAAHHHHOOOOOOO!" Po burst into the room, and then stopped cold, his eyes staring.

"It really is you..."

The sight of the peacock, train spread, who was here, instead of being dead where he belonged, was too much for him.

Viper, for one, terrible moment, experienced pure, blind, mind-numbing panic. Someone had found her! With Shen! She would be roasted alive as an accomplice!

If she thought she was panicked though, then Shen was ten times worse, although he didn't look it. He backflipped over, landing on the chair with his train fanned, searching frantically for a knife. The panda, THE panda, was here! And here he was, weaponless, and still somewhat injured, (The backflip nearly caused him to faint from the sudden dizziness, only the rush of adrenaline kept him conscious.) and in no condition to fight... He stared at Po, with his eyes wide.

Said panda, however, was having a 'Aaaaahhhh!-it's-a-ghost-come-to-haunt-me-for-killing-it!' moment, on the inside, however. He just stared at Shen.

Viper watched the two. It almost looked like they were having a staring contest. It might have been funny...except that it wasn't! It was terrifying, as the two arch-rivals stared each other down.

Po spoke first. "Shen! Get back, Viper!" He pushed Viper backwards with his foot, then lunged for the peacock.

Viper grabbed his foot, which caused him to trip and fall on the floor. Shen dived backwards.

"That panda!" He looked at Viper. "You brought him here?"

Viper slithered up. "Nonono, Shen, I don't know what he's doing here!"

"Hey Viper! Let me up!" Po shouted, "That's Shen! The guy who killed Thundering Rhino! And...and...why is he alive? And why are you EATING with him?" He looked at her questioningly. "You haven't even eaten lunch with ME! Is he...is he your boyfriend?"

Both Viper and Shen blushed.

"Of course not!" They both exclaimed.

"No Po." Viper said. "Here, just step outside for a moment, and I'll explain."

Po looked at Shen suspiciously. Shen returned the glare, also shooting one at Viper.

"Ok..." Po said, "But don't try anything funny." This was addressed to Shen.

Shen watched them both step out the shack. As soon as he was sure they were gone, he sat down, and began taking deep breaths with his eyes closed. He was panicked. He was sure that panda was going to march in here and kill him, or go home and blab to the first person he met, and then they would come in and kill him.

He hated having to trust his...life to that snake's diplomatic skills. He preferred to have his life in his own hands. And, he was pretty sure she would fail. If he put himself in that panda's place, no amount of persuasion would convince him that the guy who had tried to kill him five times would not do it again.

Although, that panda was incredibly stupid...

At that minute, Viper was frantically explaining things to Po, hoping against hope that he would understand...or else she was dead meat.

"it was reflex!..I-I couldn't just let him drown! I didn't even know it was him at the time!"

"So why didn't you tell me?" Po asked, "I might want to know that someone who wants nothing more than my head is still alive! And being nursed back to health by you!"

"You were always so busy!" Viper cried. "I tried to! But no one was ever there! And then I started helping him, and...and I couldn't in all honesty just...just betray him! Not without incriminating myself, anyway..."

"Well..." Po said, "You could have done SOMETHING! And the eating lunch! The laughing? What was that?"

Viper sighed. "He...he said...he said that he wanted to change, and you can't help someone change without being somewhat friendly!"

Po stopped. "He...wanted to change? He, Shen wanted to change?" Shen, to Po, was the single most stubborn being in the universe. "Shen...wanted to change?"

Viper nodded.

"But... But why?" Po asked. "He was so set in his ways...why?"

Viper pursed her lips. "Um...he said that...he said that he, uh, died, and in the afterlife, figured out that he needed to change."

She looked up at him. Was he going to think she was crazy?

Shen bolted upright, as Po burst back into the shack, Viper trailing behind.

"Shen!" Po shouted.

Viper winced.

"Viper here tells me that you died, and now want to change. Is that true?"

"Y-yes... It's true!" Shen leaned back. He was terrified.

"You know what I think of that?"

"W-what?" Shen quavered.

"I think..." Po said, "that's a load of complete AWESOME!" He looked down at the food. "Can I...?"

Shen blinked. Viper stared.

"S-sure..." Shen said, confused.

"You..." Viper asked, "You trust him? That quickly?"

"Sure! Why not?" Po said, "He said he was going to change, and I believe him!" He looked at Shen. "And unless I miss my guess, part of changing is not killing someone."

Shen continued to stare, and blink. This was the panda that single-handedly defeated him? He was even stupider than he had thought...although...that stupidity, to blindly and suddenly trust him, felt somewhat comforting.

He had never before been trusted, with anything. His parents always thought he was going to kill himself...everyone else thought he was going to kill them.

"Right...right." Shen broke his stare. "Go ahead and eat."

"Oh thanks!" Po sat down, and started to eat. After a while, Viper joined him, then Shen, and the three shared an uncomfortable meal.

"You know Shen," Po said, "If anyone here finds you, they'll kill you."

"I...I am aware of that." Shen stated. "Fortunately, I was found by Viper, who hasn't told anyone about me...I think." Viper looked down quickly. "Well, we have to keep it that way." Po glared at Viper. "We have to make sure no one finds out. So don't tell anyone."

"What!" Viper hissed, "I haven't told anyone yet! If anyone would say anything, it would be you!"

"Viper." Po said, "This is no time to argue."

Shen watched the exchange. "Excuse me..." he said, "But I'm still here!"

Both Po and Viper apologized. With some persuasion from Po, Viper was sworn into a pact of secrecy, to never knowingly reveal Shen's location to anyone. She was not as resistant as she should have been, for secretly, that was what she wanted. Now, if Shen was found, she would have someone to blame.

Shen watched all this. The fact that the two warriors where swearing to protect him...it astounded him.

He still didn't understand their motives, but it brought him some reassurance. After all, the Furious Five were known as one of the most dependable groups in China. As he watched them swear to his protection, some warmth crept into his heart, long cold and dead. Just a little.

* * *

_Author's note: Po is really OOC here, I know..._


	23. Shopping

Chapter Twenty-Six

Viper was out shopping with Po, not for herself, but for a certain peacock, who was incredibly hard to buy things for, and Po wasn't being helpful. He was acting like shopping with her was the cruelest form of torture, and kept dodging behind objects every time someone he recognized walked by.

"Seriously Po!" Viper hissed, as Po knocked over another crate of oranges while attempting to hide, "What are you so afraid of?"

"Awwww nothing..." Po said, "It's just that shopping is a girls thing, and if people see us shopping together, they might think that we are...you know..."

"Aaaaahhhhh..." Viper nodded, then grinned evilly. "Tell me, Po," she said, grabbing a dress of the rack, "Do you think this matches my eyes?"

Po looked around nervously. "Viper! Quit it!"

"Sorry..." She looked around the stall. "Do you see anything that would fit Shen?"

Po looked around, then shook his head. "You'r the expert!"

"Your so helpful Po." Viper said sarcastically.

They wandered around, looking through all the different stalls and markets, and they were still unable to find anything suitable. The reason it was so difficult was because of Shen's species. Peafowl, peacocks in particular, were rather oddly shaped birds, meaning that it was quite difficult to find clothes for them. The royal peafowl always had their clothes specially made, Viper had always thought that this was due to them not being content with what they could get on the market, but now, she was beginning to change her opinion.

The two continued walking/slithering around town, until Viper stopped. "Look over there!" She hissed to Po.

Po looked, and saw what Viper was looking at. There, on display at a large looking stall, was a robe, that was obviously designed for peafowl, and, by some amazing coincidence, was a pale silver in color.

"That's perfect!" Viper said, and began slithering at a very rapid pace toward the stall. When she got there, the first thing she did was ask the price.

"Thirty yuan." came her answer. Viper was astonished. A robe like this should have been worth ten, twenty times that amount!

"W-why so cheap?" She asked, "There's nothing wrong with it, is there?"

"Oh no," The clerk answered, "It's just that it's been sitting here so long, that I'm lowering the price to get rid of it. Silver robes have been unpopular since you-know-who..."

"Oh..." Viper said, "I'll take it! I could really use it..."

While Viper was talking to the clerk, Po was looking the robe over. It was a nice robe, but he spotted two glaring flaws. One, it would probably be extremely expensive, and two, Shen would HATE it. Why? It wasn't the quality, or the color, it was the large Yin-Yang symbol on the back that would probably tick him off.

Viper came back. "Po, you wouldn't believe it!" She said excitedly, "I got a GREAT deal on this robe!"

"Good..." Po said, "But are you sure that She-..." He was cut off by Viper pinching him in the leg, and gesturing with her eyes to the clerk.

"What was..." Po asked, then realization dawned on him. "Oh, OH! whoops! What I meant was... Are you sure that...uh..She-... Ah! She! Are you sure that she will like it?"

Viper looked confused for a second. She? Who was he talking about? Then she realized that Po had just taken the last word off Shen's name. She giggled a little at Shen being referred to in the feminine.

"Why wouldn't she like it, Po?" Viper asked.

"Uh... She...is not a big fan of that symbol, if you know what I mean." Po gestured towards the Yin Yang symbol.

Viper looked up at him. "Well," She said, "Too bad! I have spent too long searching all over this huge city to care about what symbol it has on it's back!"

Po said nothing more, so Viper paid for the robe, and they prepared to leave.

"Hope your girlfriend likes the robe!" The clerk called after them, much to Po's embarrassment.

"Why does Shen like girls clothes?" he wondered out loud.

"Don't ask me!" Viper exclaimed, "Besides, they aren't exactly girls clothes, the clerk probably just heard us arguing about whether or not 'she' would like the robe..." She stopped. "Po," She asked, "Why would you even care about if he likes the clothes we buy him?"

Po thought a while. Why had he cared? Shen had done nothing to earn his compassion.

"I guess..." He said finally, "I guess caring is just in my nature." He looked at Viper. "When I look at Shen...I-I see someone that has had almost no-one actually care about him. He really likes his clothes, so if I, his enemy, took time to find some clothes he likes, it...it might mean a lot to him."

He suddenly laughed. "Either that, or some of his 'heavenly aura' is rubbing of on me."

Viper grinned. "I didn't know you were so sensitive to other people's feelings, Po!" Then she darkened. "Of course, he probably will be completely ungrateful..."

"Yeah..." Po said.

"Bet you ten yuan he never even tries the robe on!" Viper said.

"That's not a fair bet." Po replied, "He is far more likely to throw it then wear it."

* * *

"I AM NOT WEARING THIS!"

Shen's reactions were just as expected. He had taken a look at the robe, and he had obviously been interested, until he noticed the symbol. Why had they given him this? To give him a constant reminder of his humiliating defeat at the hands of someone who should have been no match for him? Anyway, he would not wear this robe! He threw it into a wall.

"I told you." Po said, "He threw it."

"That will be ten yuan!" Viper reminded.

"Ok, for the record, I did not take that bet."

The two warriors left, leaving Shen alone. He had been sure they would be somewhat offended that he refused to wear the robe, that they had so obviously spent such a long time obtaining. But instead, they started joking about him filling in with their expectations of him.

He sighed. He really hadn't changed a bit.

He fingered his tatty clothes. They were certainly in need of replacement. He looked at the new robe, lying in a heap in a corner. It certainly was a nice robe...the fabric was lovely...

He looked out the door. No one in sight... He looked back to the robe. Is couldn't hurt to just try it on...no one would ever have to even know he had tried it on...

He slipped out of his dirty clothes, and into the new robe.

It definitely felt nice, an improvement over what he had just been wearing...

He turned around, examining himself in the reflection on one of his throwing blades. It looked nice, although the black insides of the sleeves clashed somewhat with the red circles on his train.

Suddenly, He heard a noise outside. He dashed to the door, and peeked out. Po and that snake-lady were coming back! He looked around frantically. No time to change back...he just stood there, acting like it was the most natural thing in the world for him to be wearing a robe he had just thrown into a wall.

Po stuck his head in. "Say Shen, did you want anything or-..." His eyes widened, and he shouted over his shoulder. "Viper! Shen is wearing the robe you got! Yeah! He's wearing it!"

Shen blushed. "Yes...yes I am. No need to make such a big deal out of it."

Viper rushed in. "He's wearing it?" She asked.

"Yeah! Look!" Po pointed towards Shen, who was blushing deeper. He wished he could sink into the floor.

"Hey wow!" Viper appraised the poor peacock. "It looks great on you!"

"I'll take that ten yuan now, Viper." Po said.

"What! You said you didn't take that bet!"

"I changed my mind." They both turned to Shen, who was embarrassedly turning away.

"So I tried on your robe. It's not as if I have sprouted a second head!" He looked at them still staring at him. "When did I become a curiosity?"

"You've always been a curiosity." Po said. Shen cocked his head. "You know, being all white and all..." Shen's eyes darkened, and Po clapped his hand over his mouth.

Shen sighed. "S-sorry..." Po quavered, noticing the throwing knife still in the peacock's wingl

Shen looked up. "It's alright." He said. "I don't mind."

_"White...white is not the color of death. White is simplicity, beginnings, purity before corruption. White symbolizes the life of brightness that exists here, in Heaven. White is light, and it's absence creates darkness."_

Shen heard Fenghuang's words again, in his head.

"Wow..." Po breathed, "I thought you would get mad about that!"

"I would have." Shen replied, not turning his head, "But I had a change of mind." Shen turned his head to Po. Po, to Shen's suprise, was smiling.

"What's so funny?" Shen demanded.

"Nothing." Po replied, "Except that there's hope for you yet."

_ There's hope for you yet._

* * *

_Author's note: Hi again! Sorry for the slow updates, but I have been busy lately. I am rather proud of this chapter, starting lighthearted, but turning it around to show a large step in Shen's emotional progress._

_Also, I am pleased to announce that I have just breached 75,000+ words on this story's prototype, so I have a lot of elbow room with this story. Just keep waiting, and I'll give them to you._


	24. Plans to make

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The days had passed like minutes, with each passing hour filled to the brim with all the work they had to do, and between helping Masters Ox and Croc, and feeding/socializing with Shen, Po and Viper hardly ever had a minute to themselves. However, the time had come for them to leave back to the Valley of peace, either tomorrow or the day after.

This created a dilemma, namely, what on earth are they going to do about Shen? He and them had become much more comfortable with each other, one could even say they were friends, of a sort, although Shen still remained somewhat aloof from them, and almost never showed any gratitude towards his rescuers, they were beginning to get along.

As for his physical state, most of his injuries had almost healed altogether. However, he still spent most of his time sitting down, because, (although they didn't know it,) his head injury still made him severely dizzy every time he moved quickly. He kept telling them that he was in no state to go anywhere, but they didn't understand.

Anyway, Po and Viper, oblivious to the fact that Shen could hardly stand straight, let alone walk, were basing all their plans on sending him somewhere where no-one would recognize him, and leave him to take care of himself. Shen, because of his incredible stubbornness, still hadn't told them about his dizzy fits, and was very close to being carted off to India.

"India is a little...far, don't you think?" Viper said.

"Well,..." Po answered, "I think peacocks come from India, so, I don't know..."

Viper sighed.

So far, their conversation had been going round in circles.

"Well... You have to think of something." Viper told him. "It was your idea to keep him a secret in the first place." She looked up at him. "Do what you have to do. Shen needs you! Don't let him down."

Po sighed. "No pressure!" he lowered his voice, "Lovely."

He thought. How was he going to get Shen to India? Who would take him? He put his head in his hands, and pondered.

Shen would be better off in India, it was his country of ancestral origin, after all. He didn't seem too thrilled about the idea himself, however. What was the big idea with that? Here Po was, doing all this work, and Shen couldn't even show a bit of graditude...

Po looked out the window. It was getting dark, and soon it would be time to get some sleep...

He yawned. Perhaps sooner than he thought...

Viper grinned. "Someone's sleepy, eh?" She rolled her eyes. "Get some sleep. Perhaps an answer will come to you in your dreams."

Po flopped into bed, and blew out the candle. He heard Viper slither out. All was silent. There were no noises, except for the nighttime insect sounds. It was very peaceful. Po, however, was unable to sleep. He tossed and turned in bed for several hours of the night, pondering his dilemma.

"AAAUUUGGHHH!"

The shout tore the night stillness. It was so loud, that Viper felt the vibrations from where she was, and smiled. Apparently, Po hadn't found his answer yet.

* * *

Shen sat awake, and shivered. Not from the cold, it was quite a warm night, but from fear, cold, crippling fear. That stupid, STUPID snake-lady and panda...were going to ship him off...to INDIA! He had almost died of panic being exiled, how on earth was he going to cope with traveling to India? And in his state!

He slid slowly out of bed, until his feet touched the floor. Nothing yet. He very slowly and carefully stood up, testing out all the different sensations going through his head. So far, so good, he remained un-dizzy and orientated. He just stood there a while, taking in the night stillness. Then he took a deep breath. Here came the hard part...

He slowly moved his foot forward, taking a long and laborious step forward. Nothing but his foot moved, his body stayed in the exact same place. Then, with a quick, smooth movement, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. For a few seconds, he stood motionless, and he almost thought he had gotten away with it. But then, suddenly and inexplicably, the world shifted onto it's side, and he found himself on the floor. Apparently, his injury had not healed yet.

He crawled back into the nest, mentally griping to himself.

There was no way he would survive in India. He would die! He would have to do the unthinkable, tell that panda and snake-lady about his 'condition'.

He hated to admit to any weakness, it went against every grain in his stubborn nature to even consider telling them. He held firm to the philosophy that stated everyone was an enemy, waiting to find your weakness, then strike you there. There was no such thing as a friend, a friend was just an enemy who hadn't attacked yet.

He sighed. Although he didn't like it, it was better than death...he made a mental note to tell them next time he saw them. It was for the best, after all...he needed to swallow his pride.

It was time to actually do something that was hard for him, to prove his effort to change. It wasn't much, but it was a start.

It was a start.

* * *

"Wake up Po!" Viper bounced on Po's belly, in an effort to rouse him. "We have a lot of planning to do today!"

"Uuughhh..." Po groaned, "Just five more minutes dad..." he rolled over in bed.

Viper sighed. Po was the hardest...she looked around, and saw a gong, old and dusty in the corner, and she got an idea. She slithered up to it, and gave it a sharp tap.

GOOONNGGG!

Po zipped out of bed remarkably fast. "I'm sorry Master Shifu! I..." He looked around, confused. "Hey, where am I?" Then realization came into his eyes, and he snapped his fingers. "Of course! We have get 'him' out of here today!" he looked at Viper. "Well? Why are we just standing around here for? We have to get going!"

Viper rolled her eyes. Po... just absolutely inexplicable. She looked up to see Po running off top speed, and hurried to catch up with him.

Po dashed around to the corner of a building, and stopped, waiting for Viper. He peeked around the corner, and saw her slithering towards him.

"Seriously Po," She said, "No need to hide so. It's not like we're..." She looked up to see Po was already running off, ducking around a wall. "Po! Wait up!" She hurried after him.

They made their way to the shore, and followed it up until they reached the shack. Po was about to rush inside, but Viper stopped him.

"Po!" She hissed, "Don't just barge in! He could still be sleeping!"

"Oh yeah!" Po said. "What do I do? I can't just wait here..."

They were spared the dilemma, however, by Shen opening the door.

"Don't worry your pretty little head," He said to Viper, "I'm fully awake. Come in."

He opened the door fully for them to enter, then slowly stumbled back to his nest. Viper watched him with concern. She had never paid attention to the way he walked, it was all erratic looking. She had taken for granted that he could walk fine...she thought about asking him about it, but held her tongue.

"Hey Shen!" Po greeted boisterously. "I have everything worked out, so we can get you-"

"I can't go." Shen interrupted, "I am physically unable to travel to India."

"W-what?" Po stuttered. "Why not?"

Shen glowered, and looked slightly embarrassed. "I-I...well... Every time I try and move..."

"Spit it out, Shen!" Viper hissed.

"Fine. Every time I try to move, I-I faint. I get dizzy, and fall..." Shen looked up at them. "So I can't go to India..."

He stood up, and attempted to walk forward, to prove his point. Sure enough, as soon as Shen moved his head, he tilted sideways, and collapsed on the floor, causing Viper to shriek.

"You see? I can barely walk..." Shen sat up, and dusted himself off. "I-I...can't walk...I can't...walk." He said, over and over, as if the realization had finally dawned on him. "What am I going to do? If I can't walk...I can't do...anything! I'll...be an invalid, perhaps forever!" he looked up, with panic in his eyes.

"Don't worry!" Viper reassured him, "I'm sure it's just temporary. The question is... What are we going to do with you now?"

She looked around worriedly. Sure, she and Shen may not be the best of friends, but she still wasn't about to just leave him here...especially since she had just found out that he couldn't walk... But what was she going to do? It wasn't like Po was going to come up with anything useful...

"We could take you back to the Valley..." Po suggested.

...or he could go and suggest something downright dangerous...

"Po!" She called, "A word with you. Outside."

"Alright..." Po said, heading for the door.

"Just a second." She said to Shen, and followed Po outside.

"Po!" Viper said sternly, "What were you thinking? You know how unstable Shen's mind is..."

"What'd I do?" Po asked frantically, searching Viper's eyes for an answer.

"You suggested that we take Shen back with us!"

"So?" Po answered. "I don't get it!"

"You know how...how unstable Shen can be! If you give him a hope, he might latch on to it...and then breaking it could be disastrous!" Viper hissed, "We can't risk that! You could ruin his mind...FOREVER!"

"I still don't get it! It wouldn't be dangerous if we brought him with us," Po responded, "Then we wouldn't be breaking any hopes..."

"WE ARE NOT BRINGING HIM BACK TO THE VALLEY OF PEACE!" Viper shouted.

Po just stared. He had never seen Viper shout before, (outside of combat) and it scared him. But it didn't scare him enough to prevent him from asking another question.

"Why not?"

"Why- wha- UHHGGGHHH!" Viper stuttered, "Why not? Why not? Do you really need someone to tell you why we can't bring HIM back to the Valley with us?"

Po nodded.

"Well, one: where would he stay? Do you really think Shifu, or Tigress, for that matter, would let him stay?"

Viper was interrupted by Po.

"We could hide him, like we did here." Po said.

"Ok," Viper said, "If we did that, where would he stay? How would he manage to survive? You couldn't possibly manage to go wherever you put him EVERY day!"

"There's an old candle shack around the Wu Dan mountains, he could stay there." Po said, "And you would be suprised at how much you can get away with during 'meditating hours'."

Viper stared at him for a few seconds. "That's what you do during meditations?" She asked, then shook her head. "Anyway, now for reason number two: What then? Would he just sit there, forever and ever?"

Po remained cool. "That would be up to him. Your destiny is what you make of it."

"UUNNGGGHHH!" Viper hissed. "OKAY! Reason number three: YOU CAN'T BRING A GENOCIDAL PEACOCK WHO TRIED TO TAKE OVER CHINA BACK TO THE VALLEY WITH US!" She stopped, panting for breath.

"He tried to kill you! FIVE times! And you want to bring him back with us! Are you completely insane!"

"No." Po replied, "I trust him. He said he was going to change, and I trust his word. If he said he was going to change, I believe him."

"Wha-..." She stuttered, "How can you be so trusting! He doesn't deserve trust! He's fine here, but bringing him HOME!"

Viper's head was filled with images of Shen, holding a lance, standing over the carcasses of what used to be villagers.

"What if he kills someone! What if..."

"What if! Viper, how are you going to ever change him if you don't trust him?" Po interrupted. "When I look at Shen, I see someone who has never been trusted for who-knows-how long, and isn't ever going to be able to change himself if he isn't given that trust!"

Viper stuttered. "Well- well-well I..." She sighed. "Your right Po. Your absolutely right." She looked up, and scratched the back of her head.

"But that brings me to reason number four: how on earth are you going to smuggle Shen back to the Valley? If anyone in the city, the PROVINCE saw him...it would be a riot! And not the good kind! We'd be toasted!"

"Um...let's see.." Po thought a while, then brightened. "We would leave tomorrow. The city is having a celebration tomorrow, so we would be less likely to be noticed..."

"But it would still be to much to expect that NO-ONE would see him!" Viper hissed. "He's a PEACOCK for crying out loud! Practically designed to stand out in a crowd! And he still can't walk! What would you do about that?!"

"You didn't let me finish." Po said, "We could take one of those dragon floats, and sneak through the city in one! During the celebrations, no one would notice it! Shen could be hidden safe inside, and he could lean on either me or you if he gets dizzy. It should work..."

Viper smirked. "I wonder what Shen would think of THAT plan?"

"He would love it!" Po exclaimed.

* * *

"ME? In a party float? Those are for clowns and PEASANTS!" Shen panted, "I am NOT getting in any FLOAT!"

"Come on, Shen." Po pleaded. "It would only be till we got out of the city."

Viper sighed. She couldn't believe that Po had managed to talk her into even considering taking Shen back with them. She had agreed to this, as long as Shen agreed. She smirked. It looked like Shen wasn't agreeing.

"Come on Shen! We can't waste time arguing! We have to set this plan in motion now! If we delay any longer, you'll just have to stay here, and...and then what will you do?"

"I don't care! I can hardly walk, and I can't do that!" Shen looked at them. "Come on! I my pride has taken a beating over the last few days, but it's still there..."

Po sighed. "Proud as a peacock..." he mumbled. "Okay, fine. You just sit tight, and we'll go and get everything ready for you."

Shen and Viper stared. "What!?" Shen snarled, "I haven't agreed to this!"

"Thanks for agreeing!" Po shouted, grabbing Viper and running out the shack.

"Aaackk!" Viper gagged, "Po! Put me down! Put me down!"

"Sorry!" Po said, placing Viper gently on the ground, "It's just that we have to go make some preparations! We have no time to waste!"

"But Po!" Viper reminded, "Shen might not even come. Then all those preparations would have been for nothing."

"He'll come." Po said grimly, "Even if I have to drag him, he'll come alright!"

The rest of the day, Viper spent packing her and Po's belongings, while Po rushed all over the city making preparations.

He managed to purchase a dragon float, and conveniently placed it on the shore for easy pickup. The next task was harder. Po made his way to the ferry office, and made an appointment with the ferry driver. He met the ferry driver, and convinced him that they were bringing some 'unusual people' on board, and instructed him not to ask questions, and never to tell anyone about whoever this person is. He managed to get him to conform, but it cost him some extra yuan.

In fact, Po was almost flat broke by the time he got back to Viper, but he was in a very good mood.

"Everything's all ready!" He said, rubbing his hands on his pants. "We will be good to go tomorrow! All that's left is to convince Shen..."

"Huh," Viper remarked, "Good luck with that. That peacock is the most stubborn..."

"Now Viper!" Po reprimanded, "Don't you remember the secret of the dragon scroll?"

"No," Viper answered, "You never told me."

"Never mind..." Po sighed. "We ought to get some sleep..."

Viper looked out the window, and sure enough, it was growing darker outside.

"Your right..." Viper yawned. She slithered over to the door. "'night Po."

"Goodnight." Po murmured.

A few hours later, Po lay in bed, considering how to convince Shen to go along with their plan. He already had an idea of what to do should Shen remain stubborn, however...

* * *

"NO!" Shen shouted. "I told you already! I am NOT going along with your IDIOTIC plan!"

Po facepalmed. He had sorta thought that this would be Shen's reaction, and honestly didn't see the point of arguing.

"Shen, if you don't come, we will just have to leave you. And we both don't want that, do we?" surprisingly, it was Viper who spoke. "We are trying to help you! Can't you just accept the help that is given you?"

Shen lowered his head. "I-I...oh never mind." He sighed. "I'm...I'm...just too terrified...I'm scared, alright! I'm too scared to go with you! I'm terrified that someone will find me! And then..."

Po shook his head. "Fear is crippling, Shen. Either you control it, or it controls you. All your life, you have been running from your destiny. Isn't it time to meet it halfway?"

Shen glowered. Po could almost see the internal battle going on in Shen's head, fear and weakness, battling against newfound ambition and confidence in it's infancy. Finally Shen looked up.

"I'm sorry. But I just...I just can't do it. I'm not ready for this."

Po smiled. "I understand, Shen. So I'm sorry."

Shen cocked his head. "Sorry for what?"

"Sorry for this!" Po made circle patterns with his arms, then spread them, and threw his head back, causing something that looked like glowing silk threads to erupt out of his mouth.

Shen collapsed on to the ground. Viper shrieked.

"What did you do?" She gasped.

"A new move I learned." Po answered, "The golden clarnyx call. It sends it's hearer to sleep for a few hours, and can only be blocked by...never mind. Let's just get Shen outa here!"

* * *

Shen woke up slowly, and gradually became aware of a gentle rocking sensation beneath him. He sat up quickly-and sunk back down from the sudden rush of dizziness. He stared at the wooden ceiling above him.

"Where-where am I?" He said to himself.

"Your on the ferry, leaving Gongmen." A familiar feminine voice answered him.

Shen turned his head, and saw Viper, coiled around a broomstick.

"How did I get here?" Shen asked her. "Last thing I remember is..."

"Po knocked you out, and we carried you inside the float through the city." Viper answered. "Then we dragged you to the ferry, the driver of which Po has bribed to let you on board, and here we are!"

Shen blinked a few times. "The panda...he knocked me out?"

Viper glared. "He has a name, you know." She grinned. "Try saying his name. Po...it's not that hard...Po...just try it."

"Very well, it's not impossible...so this Po," the name sounded so odd coming from him. "Po knocked me out? How dare he!"

"Well, it wasn't like we had any other choice!" Viper reminded him. "You were being so STUBBORN! Really, you should thank him, I wouldn't have done all this for you."

"I probably should." Shen said.

_"But I won't."_ he added in his mind.

The boat made it's way across the water, leaving the city behind, and ending another chapter of the extraordinary tale of Lord Shen, the white peacock.

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait guys! I hope this make sit up to you!_

_The next chapter is going to be LONG, so you will have to be patient._

_On a side note, have you ever written something, thought it was garbage,then come back and read it again, and been like 'wow, I wrote this?'_

_I just read my chapter "madness and anger" and I was AMAZED. I could not beleive I had wrote that! But anyway, enjoy this chapter!_

_Please, read and review!_


	25. Dreams broken, ambitions crushed

Chapter Twenty-Seven

_Light seeped into a dark world. A single drop of water runs down from the sky, landing on the outstretched leaves crowning a tree. It runs downward, dropping from leaf to leaf, eventually landing on a stem of grass, which bends under the droplet's weight. For just a second, the droplet is suspended upon the end of the blade of grass, mirroring the synchronized harmony that is our universe. Then, drop! The water falls, and breaks upon a stone. For all of nature's harmony, it cannot overcome the reality that is death._

_For this is the reality of the fragile thing that is life, a single fall results in the ending of one's harmonious existence, succumbing to the drive of the universe, to push into maximum disorder._

An explosion of light!

Shen's eyes opened, and focused, scanning the room he was in. Where was he? His eyes caught sight of a bowl, and his eyes narrowed. He had seen this bowl before...

suddenly, with a rush of of memories that was almost painful, he remembered. He was in that hut, at the old panda village. That soothsayer...she had made another prediction...

He winced. She had made that very same thrice-accursed prediction! Even now, it was still determined that he would be stopped in his attempt to rule China. Why was that? He would make China great, the greatest empire in the world! Why was it that everyone saw him as evil?

He tried to move, but was greeted by a shock of pain. He cursed inwardly.

"Don't curse, it pollutes the mind." Shen looked up, and saw the soothsayer standing there.

She could read minds too? That surely wasn't fair...

"Why do you even care?" He asked, "You think I will be defeated. You would rejoice if I was killed...you never even cared about me."

"That's not true, and you know it!" She replied, somewhat hurt, but doing a very good job of hiding it. "I have always cared about you...always."

Shen stayed quiet, so she continued. "Caring is doing what is best for you! I did everyt-..."

"NO YOU DID NOT!" Shen shouted, looking up at her with fire in his eyes, "I begged you...I pleaded with you! And you did NOTHING!"

"You murdered innocent people! What could you have done that was worse?" She asked him.

"They were not innocent!" Shen exclaimed, "They were going to kill me! You were the one who said so!"

"You were not meant to hear that..." She answered. How she regretted that prediction! "You did not have to take it into your wings!"

Shen closed his eyes. "My parents...my parents killed each and every person who attempted to assassinate or kidnap me..." He frowned, "Why would the pandas have been any different? It was hammered into my head, over and over again, that murderers deserved no compassion...what was I to think?"

The soothsayer sighed. Shen, being royalty, would have had to judge several cases, and as a result, was taught to have no sympathy for criminals.

How ironic. If he was to try himself in his own courtroom, he would have been convicted for murder and sent off for death.

"We tried to what was best...for you..." She tried.

"Really... just recovering from the most heart-wrenching day possible, their SON, with an unstable mind and a weak, albino body...sending me off, into the cold snow, with no one and nothing...that was what was best for me?" He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Sending me off...into exile, that was the best for me?" Shen said angrily, "Sending me off, heartbroken, rejected, that was BEST for me?"

"It-it was all we could do..." The soothsayer was weakening. Conversing with Shen while he shouted irately and threw knives around, that she could handle, but talking with him as he calmly and rationally talked over a deep hurt in his life, that was far worse.

"Look at what it made me into!" Shen continued, "It made me into...into a monster. My sympathy for life, gone. The only thing left I could do... Was my ambitions...even that was taken from me."

"Shen." The soothsayer spoke, pulling Shen up to face him, "Everything you did was by your own decision! What happened to you was by your own choice!"

She looked down at Shen, looking for some response, some denial, which she had come so accustomed to seeing, but nothing. Nothing in his eyes at all. He looked up at her.

"I know." He nodded slightly. "No matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried, everything I did...only made certain my demise." He gasped.

"I-I only wanted to...All I was trying to say was...they...they just didn't understand...they couldn't...I wanted to.."

He stopped, and the soothsayer thought she heard a sniffle. A tear ran down his beak, and fell to the floor. The soothsayer stared in shock. Shen almost never cried...although...last time she had touched him, before the exile, he had been crying...and the time before that, when he had come in, bloody and weeping, and she had tried to comfort him...he had cried then...

She thought. Shen was almost like a child, strutting around in an attempt to be bigger than he was, and once his facade was penetrated, he needed someone to turn to, to cry into, to pour out his troubles to, and have them listened to with understanding...and compassion.

Oh, why couldn't his parents have been braver? Once Shen's siblings were killed, his parents had been too afraid to grow close to him, afraid lest he should fall sick and die...they had not even seen each (Other than at the table, to eat) other till his fifteenth birthday, when his sickness bouts had stopped.

Once they had seen each other, however, his parents and him had grown very close. It had warmed the soothsayer's heart, to see them playing together, like the time had not passed, as if there had been no rift. Shen would have done anything to please them...

It had been both their downfalls.

Shen's parents had been right in the end. Their son, who they had finally given their love, went and turned into a monster. Soon after Shen had been exiled, just three years later, Lord Ti'phan had died. A year later, Lady Mei lin followed him into the afterlife.

Shen had been unable to attend the funerals, although she knew he had tried. He had sat outside the city, and just watched. How she had wanted to go out to him, to comfort him! But she could not, it was forbidden. What on earth has possessed him to go and do that? Why had he even been there to hear the prophecy in the first place? She would most likely never know...unless she asked...

"Shen..." She asked. Shen looked up, all the answer she needed. "Why...why were you there? Why were you there, listening in on us?"

Shen looked up, surprised. "Didn't you know? Didn't SHE tell you?"

She? The soothsayer thought. His mother? No, how on earth would she have known...Shen never had many females in his life, mostly because he was so derogatory towards them. The only one was...Laeia! Of course! She was there that night...it was only three days before the wedding, after all. She had completely forgotten that Shen had been engaged, the thought seemed so strange...

"No... No one told me anything." She informed him, "Laeia left before your exile, if that's what your wondering..." she noticed the wince at the mention of the name, and realized she was close. She leaned up near his face. "What happened between you two?"

Shen sighed. He didn't want to tell anyone this...he couldn't help but laugh at the irony, however. Thirty years ago, he had heard that fateful prediction while looking for his nanny, to have this very same conversation with her.

"She left." He said simply.

"Why did she leave?" The soothsayer asked. "What happened?"

"She just left." Shen said, staring off into space.

"Shen!" The soothsayer said, using 'the mom tone' "What happened? Tell me...all of it."

Shen looked up. "So, you really want to know, do you?" The soothsayer nodded. "Well I'll tell you. She left me. She left me over a joke that one of the wolves made." Shen started to gasp. "She left because the wolf made jokes about all the girls I had 'done'. That stupid wretch..."

He looked up, and saw the soothsayer's disapproving expression.

"That foolish girl didn't think! She just left me, never gave me a chance..." He closed his eyes. "I thought she was special...I really thought... but I was wrong. She rejected me without a second thought, just...just like everyone else..."

The soothsayer listened. This story...it was forcing out her mothering instincts. It almost felt like it was her who was being rejected, as silly as that sounds...

"So..." She asked, "What brought you over to your parents door?"

Shen laughed, a creepy eerie laugh. "I was looking for you." He said, "I was looking for you, to tell you this whole story...how foolish I was."

The soothsayer's heart wrenched. Poor, poor dear!

"I'm..I'm sorry..." She said.

"Don't be." Shen replied, "It opened my eyes, opened them to the fact that there is no one in the world that can really be trusted. They will all betray you eventually. There is no such thing as...as a friend."

The soothsayer said nothing.

What was there to say? She, who had raised him, been the being who was the closest to him in all the world for many years, she had betrayed him as well.

"How bad are they?" Shen's voice brought her out of her reverie.

"What?" She asked.

"My injuries." Shen responded, "How bad are they?"

Oh...she had hoped he hadn't meant that. "Well...they are...pretty bad" She said, "You had a cannon fall on you, after all..."

"When will they heal?" Shen asked, "When can I get out of this bed?"

"Um...well..." She sighed. "Ok, I'll stop stalling. Your injuries are extremely severe, in fact, this conversation is a miracle. They are so severe that...you will likely...be an invalid for the rest of your life."

Shen looked at her in horror. "What! No!" He searched around frantically.

"You can't be serious! I would rather DIE!"

"Now Shen...I'm very sorry...there really is almost no chance that you will heal from this..."

Shen smirked darkly. "How many times have I heard that before?"

The soothsayer groaned. This was the most painful thing she had ever done in her long, long life.

"You must make the best of it." she said, eyeing him sorrowfully. "It could be worse...you could have lost your mind...you could have lost the ability to talk...it could be worse."

Shen didnt respond. To him, this was the most terrible and horrible thing he had ever experienced. Not be able to move! Ever? To be denied such a simple thing as mobility! He prided himself on his physicality, he prided himself on the fact that he had proved all those doubters wrong, who said

he would never amount to anything. And now, they would be right after all...

"No..." he said. "They were right all along...I really would end up like this. That doctor was right, all those years ago..."

The soothsayer watched the madness and ambition die in his eyes, and breathed a sigh of relief. At least now, Shen could see his plans were useless...if only he had seen it through some other way...it had taken nothing short of a lifelong sentence of invalidity to convince him.

Why was he so stubborn?

* * *

_Author's note: I am really, really sorry guys. This chapter was supposed to go BEFORE the last one, not after it. This is not the long chapter I promised, don't worry, that one really will be next._

_In case you haven't noticed, this is a scene with the other Shen, who did not get rebirthed, so suffered greater injuries._

_Please review!_


	26. Raining roses

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Po, Viper, and Shen sat through the ride on the ferry, and it was a night of living horror for Shen. About two hours into the journey, a storm blew in from the sea, causing the waters to stir and roughen. The motion seemed to aggravate Shen's dizzyness to an extreme degree. To him, the world was shaking back and forth, and Viper could have sworn she heard him ask "How did you get on the ceiling?" but she didn't mention it.

They managed to make it through, however, and once more stood on dry land.

"Land! Beautiful, wonderful land!" Po exclaimed, kissing the ground. Shen and Viper groaned.

"Po, don't embarrass us!" Viper frowned.

Po stood up, and looked around. "Ok, that way!" he pointed in the direction of the desert, which was part of the shortest route back to the Valley, but covered much rough terrain.

"Po, are you sure that Shen could make it through the desert?" Viper asked, and gestured to Shen, who was standing steadily for now, but they both knew could collapse at any moment.

"Oh man!" Po exclaimed, "I never even thought of that!"

"Well, you should have." Shen remarked, "but of course you did not. I knew that there would be some problem with your plan."

Viper pulled a map out of Shen's sleeve, and proceeded to look it over.

Shen stared in surprise, and looked inside his sleeves, pulling out a parasol, makeup, several flowers, and a mirror. "I am NOT a suitcase, female!" He screeched. Viper took no notice. "What!? Are you...never mind..." he "hmphed" and sat down.

"Hey," Viper said, still regarding the map, "We could take this route here," She made a squiggly line on the paper, "It's longer, but it's much easier, it would be better for Shen's...er, dizziness, and we could see some new country!"

"Oh lovely!" Shen said sarcastically. "A long trek over lands which you don't-..."

"I thought you would think so!" Viper said excitedly, "Let's get going!"

Shen rolled his eyes. This female...she was impossible! The threesome set out, with Viper leading, and Po behind supporting/carrying Shen, who was protesting to being carried, something about princesses.

They made their way down, sidestepping the desert, traveling through a small cloud forest, and stopping ever so often at small villages and such to eat and rest. It was quite taxing for both Shen and Po, so they had to stop often.

Shen would never admit it, though, but he rather enjoyed it, the slow pace made the whole thing rather dreamy and surreal. He didn't remember much of the walking, all that came to mind when he tried to recall it later, was slow, dreamy walks, through a forest filled with clouds, surrounded by the soft sound of water, and the occasional bird call. The trip normally took two days, but, because of the detour and slower pace, it would take five.

It was the beginning of the fourth day, and the threesome were on the rim of the mountains surrounding the Valley.

"Just one more day!" Po groaned, "Just one more day of this walking..."

Shen looked pale. Well, more than usual. "I-I don't...I don't think I can make it."

"Come on Shen! Just a little bit longer!" Viper pleaded. "Just hold on!"

"I'll try. I-I..wi..." Shen collapsed to the floor. Viper shrieked.

"Shen!" She slithered up to him, as Po leaned over him. "Is he alright? Is he...alive?"

Po put his ear to Shen's chest. "He's alive, but he's out cold!" he shook Shen a little. "Wake up Shen! Wake up! Come on!" He sighed, and looked at Viper. "Out cold."

"Oh no!" Viper put her tail to her mouth. "What are we going to do!? Po? We can't just leave him..." She glanced at Po. "Can you carry him?"

Po groaned. "No way! I can hardly walk another step, and Shen is heavier than he looks..."

Viper slithered back and forth a few times. Po could tell she was thinking hard, trying to come up with a solution. "Viper, we have to hurry." Po looked up at the sky. It was growing dark with heavy clouds, and spots of rain were already beginning to fall.

"It looks like it could start to pour at any moment!"

Viper looked up and regarded the clouds. "I know! I know..." She stopped, and sunk back into thought. She finally looked up. "Here, follow me."

"But what abou-..."

"Carry him, we shouldn't have to go far..." A clap of thunder sounded in the distance. "Hurry!"

Po picked up Shen, carefully positioning his head, and hurried after Viper. They had been walking for about five minutes, when suddenly rain started to pour.

"I certainly hope you know where your going!" Po shouted after Viper.

"Not really!" Viper shouted back.

Po stumbled, nearly falling over a root. The rain was getting in his eyes, and he couldn't wipe his face because both hands were holding Shen. The ground was becoming more and more muddy, and slipperier by the minute.

"Viper!" He called, "Where did you go? Slow down!"

KAAAPPP!

Po saw a bolt of lightning strike a tree a few feet away from him, setting it on fire instantly, only for the fire to be doused under the torrential rain.

Po shrieked, and leapt to the side. "Don't worry Shen!" he said to the unconscious peacock, "We'll be alright! We'll be...alright..." He was more convincing himself then the peacock who couldn't hear him.

He turned to the left, nearly crashing into a tree, then stumbled sideways, dropping Shen and crashing to the ground.

"Auugh!" He wiped some of the mud from his eyes. He looked around. "Shen? Shen? SHEN!" he searched the ground around him, but there was no sign of the bird. "Oh no! Oh no! Where is he?! Where is he? This is a disaster..."

OOO

Viper slithered as fast as she was able. She hated the rain, it came with her cold bloodedness. She sure hoped she was right... Suddenly she fell, stumbling down a small ravine, and landing on the hard ground.

"Oww..." she mumbled...then slipped into unconsciousness...but only for a few seconds. She blinked back into reality in a flash, and instantly started looking around. Houses! She was right! She knew there was a village around here somewhere!

"Po! We made it! We..." She looked around. Where was Po? She looked around more frantically. "Oh no! Ohnoohnoohno! Where did he go? I hope he didn't get lost.."

She turned back on her tracks, slithering back up the ravine. For once, she was glad she was a snake, any other species wouldn't have had a hope. Her heat pits in the side of her head kicked in, and she started to home in on Po's body heat. It was still hard though, and the mud! It was cold, and it stuck to her. She could feel herself slowing down, as her body temperature plummeted. Everything started getting fuzzy...she...was...slowing...down...she shook herself, summoning some of her last reserves of energy, as she followed the quickly fading heat signature...

she stumbled, and crashed into the mud. She cursed inwardly. What did she trip on? She turned and looked, and gasped. It was the very, very muddy body of a bird...her eyes examined it, and widened at the sight of a once-glorious train, now muddy and bedraggled. It was Shen! But what was he doing here? Where was Po?

Viper couldn't think. To her frustration, her mind was slowing along with her body. She needed warmth, and fast...her mind formulated a desperate plan...

She looked around. "If anyone finds out about this, I'm toasted..." She said sleepily. She turned back to Shen. She would NEVER do this normally, but this is desperate...

She looked around nervously, then quickly, suddenly, she wrapped her body around Shen's. He had better not wake up...but she was so tired...so tired... She snuggled deeper into Shen's feathers...the world grew dark, as sleep fell over her.

OOO

Po stumbled around in the dark, completely blind, with his eyes full of mud, and a mouth full of dirt. He was desperate. Shen could die...birds like him just weren't made for the rain. He had to find him, he had to! He promised to protect Shen...and he never, NEVER went back on a promise.

It was his nature, stubborn and unrelenting as stone. In a way, he was just as stubborn as Shen, and could get just as fired up.

He looked up, with determined fire in his eyes. He would find Shen, or bust. He stood up, and took a careful step forward. He tripped, and got back on his feet. He was exhausted, but he would keep moving. Step after step after step.

He stumbled against a tree, and wiped his eyes. Shen was nowhere to be found. Po roared into the rain, the sound echoing around in the trees until it was lost in a clap of thunder. Where was that peacock? Where was...

suddenly, the ground slipped away from underneath him, causing him to crumble downwards, falling into the mud. He looked up, and his eyes widened. He was barely recognizable, but just enough of his white feathers were visible to give him away as Shen.

Po crawled over to him, and collapsed on top of him, shielding him from the rain. Now that he had found Shen, his determination melted away, and his body remembered that it was tired. He sunk his face into Shen's feathers, and almost instantly fell asleep. The last thing he remembered feeling was soft feathers and silvery scales.

* * *

Viper mumbled to herself. She was very warm, and comfortable. She coiled herself...and felt feathers. She jumped off as if she had been burned.

"Euughh! Ugh!" She shuddered. "That was the weirdest night... I hope no one saw me..."

She looked around. First thing she noticed, was that she was no longer in the forest. She was in a room, and a rather comfortable one at that. There was a simple bed, (which she had just jumped off) a desk with a mirror, and lots of candles. Whoever owned this room was not rich, but was reasonably well-off.

Viper was puzzled. How had she ended up here? And...and had whoever brought her here seen her...with Shen? She knew how damaging untrue rumors could be...

She slithered over to the door. Opening it slowly, she peeked out. She couldn't see anyone...she slowly slithered out the room, into a larger, dimly-lit room, with what looked like large paper fans draped over the windows. There was a staircase, leading down into what looked like a living room of a sort.

She crept down the stairs, looking carefully around, and to her relief, no one was in sight. She reached the bottom of the stairs, and slowly scanned the room.

"Glad to see you are awake." A voice rung out behind her.

Viper whirled, stifling a scream. A cat was sitting on the stairs, where Viper had just passed. How could she not have seen it?

"Y-yes...I am awake..." Viper stuttered. "Excuse me, but I don't know where I am..."

The cat jumped off the stairs. It was, judging by the voice, a female, about forty years old. She was black, with a white underneck. She was wearing a red kimono, suggesting Japanese origin.

"I am sorry. You are in the house of Inazuma. I am Hikari, Inazuma's wife. We found you and your friends in the storm yesterday, and we brought you to our despicable house." (That might sound odd to some people, but it's a Chinese custom, to say something is horrible.)

"Well..." Viper said, "Thank you." Both Inazuma and Hikari were Japanese names, so she figured she was right in assuming Japanese origin.

"Who are you?" Hikari asked.

"I am Master Viper. I live in the Valley of peace just beyond those mountains."

Hikari brightened. "I have heard of you." She said, "But I did not realize that you were married."

Viper blushed. "I'm..not. That was-"

"Oh, but what about..." Hikari gestured up the stairs, obviously talking about Shen.

If Viper thought she had been blushing before, she was going to explode now. "Oh that..." She stammered, "Well, I'll just clear that up..."

"You don't have to explain..." Hikari told her.

"No! I want to!" Viper sighed. "It's perfectly innocent...you see, we were traveling together, and Shen, that's the peacock, collapsed from exhaustion. Then it started to rain, and we rushed to the village, but we got separated, and I rushed back to try and find them." Viper panted, and took a deep breath. "And...I'm a snake, so I'm cold-blooded, which means that when I get cold, I slow down and die. So when I came across Shen, I had no other choice...it was self preservation! Nothing more."

Hikari smiled. "I never thought you had committed an...indiscretion. Honestly, you have one of the most impeccable reputations in China."

"Oh thank you. That takes a weight off my shoulders!" Viper suddenly grew concerned. "How many of us did you find?"

"Three." Hikari answered. "There was you, the pea-"

"Shen." Viper corrected.

"Excuse me. There was you, Shen, and a panda, who I assume to be the legendary Dragon Warrior."

"Oh good! I was afraid you hadn't found him..." Viper sighed. "And you are correct. The panda is Po, the 'legendary' dragon warrior. But when he wakes up, you might be a little surprised by his behavior."

"Oh?" Hikari raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he acts just a little...immature? I'm not sure how else to put it."

"Oh, I'm sure that he will act perfectly decent."

"You might be surprised." Viper mumbled to herself. "Anyway, tell me about yourself!"

Hikari made a wry smile. "That's a long story. You see, me and my husband immigrated from Japan about ten years ago..."

OOO

Shen blinked, then groaned. He was sore all over...he had never been so glad of a bed before in his life...

Wait! He wasn't supposed to be in a bed! He jolted up, coursing with adrenaline, and looked around. His somewhat paranoid mind was already hearing ghost troops marching up the stairs. He heard a scream.

"I hope that wasn't me." he muttered. Who was though? And where was he?

He examined the room, and soon saw the source of the scream. A small ball of fluff was huddled in the corner, which Shen recognized as a kitten. What was she doing here? "Who are you? Why are you in this room?" Shen demanded.

The poor kitten was clearly terrified of Shen. "I I...my name is..is Sao...and...this is my room."

Shen relaxed a little. Then his body remembered it's condition, and he collapsed onto the floor, causing Sao to scream again.

"Sssshhhhhh!" Shen whispered, "I'm perfectly alright. Just...just help me back into the bed."

Sao nervously walked up to him, and rather clumsily attempted to pull him up.

"No...no, just come here..." Shen staggered onto his feet, and used Sao as some sort of pillar to keep him up. He eventually made it to the bed, and realized that he was muddy. Very muddy. Almost forgetting about the kitten watching him, he started to preen.

Sao watched.

"What, haven't you ever seen a bird preening before?" Shen sneered.

Sao dived under the bed, and watched the little flakes of dirt and dandruff drop off the bed. "Your going to make my bed all dirty." She said, in a small but meaningful voice.

"What of it?" Shen asked nonchalantly.

"So..." Sao stuttered. She used that line all the time. "Well, if you mess it up, you clean it."

Shen looked at her with sickening coolness. "Make me."

"Well..." Sao frowned. "Ok, if you say so..."

_A few minutes later._..

"Hey! OOOWWW! Let go!"

Shen snarled, as Sao had a death-grip on his head crest. "Clean up that bed!" She demanded. "You messed it up, you clean it!"

Shen felt like tearing that kitten's head right off her neck, except that she was yanking his head around, causing him to literally see double. The world started twisting...his dizziness fit was starting...

"Let go of me!" Shen demanded, "Let...loose...the headrest..."

Sao started, as Shen collapsed in her arms. She looked around nervously, and shoved Shen back on the bed, putting the covers back over him, to look like he was asleep still.

She waited a few minutes, then started to get worried. Had she killed him? Perhaps he was hurt...bad! She started to sniffle, which quickly turned into a full-out bawl. She had killed someone! She would be sent to jail, or beaten, or worse!

She crawled on top of Shen, and started to shake him back and forth. "Wake up! Wake UP!"

There was no response. Sao sniffled, and crawled into a corner, where she crossed her arms and glowered. It was his fault! He wouldn't clean the bed, and he asked her to try and make him! She didn't even know that she was strong enough to do that...or that you could kill a peacock by twisting their headcrest... She lay down in her corner, and moped.

Shen slowly blinked back into consciousness, shaking his head back and forth slowly. What had happened? Oh yeah, that kitten! She had...knocked him out, much as he hated to admit it. Where had she gone, that measly little...he scanned the room, and soon spotted her, huddling in a corner. He drew a knife.

"Well, kitten," he said angrily, "why don't you try that again?"

Sao turned slowly. "You...your alive?"

"Y-yes...it would take a lot more that you tugging my head-feathers to kill me..." Shen said, confused. The expression on the kitten's face killed all his anger. It almost looked like him, a long time ago...

Shen softened somewhat. After all, he was trying to reform, and, although he was no expert, he was sure that skewering a kitten would not be proof of his reformation.

"H-hey...what's wrong...Er...Sao?" the concerned words sounded so odd, coming from his mouth.

"I-I thought I killed you..." She moped. "I thought..." her eyes drifted to the knife in Shen's wing. "What...what are you going to do with that?"

Shen looked at the knife, somewhat embarrassed, and slipped it back into his robe. "Nothing..." He said. He thought a while.

Here was a chance to do one of those things that snake-lady called a 'good deed'. He turned back to the kitten, who was still huddled in the corner, and asked her a question, in what he tried to make a kindly tone. "Tell me, Sao..."

"I'm sorry!" Sao interrupted, "I didn't mean to knock you out..." She looked up, with red-rimmed eyes.

"Don't worry, I am not angry..." Shen answered, surprising himself. He wasn't? Since when? He felt a little proud of himself. He really was making progress! "...I was going to ask you how old you are."

"I'm six." Sao answered. "You aren't mad at me?" She giggled. "You still have to clean the bed though..."

Shen frowned. "Later..." This kitten made doing good deeds difficult. "Anyway, um..." he was going to give her a yuan for every year, but he wasn't sure how you did it. Did you just...hand it to her? He couldn't think of anything particularly clever...

"Ugh,...never mind. Here!" he handed her six shiny yuan coins. "Take them. There are six, one for every year..."

Sao looked up at him in surprise. She had almost killed him, and he was offering her wealth beyond her wildest dreams? She should have done this before... She grabbed the money, and looked at it in her hand.

"Thank you." She said meekly. She ran out, with a look on her face which would have warmed the heart of an iceberg.

Shen watched her go, with an odd feeling fluttering around inside him. What was this? He didn't know. Honestly, no-one on earth would be able to tell him. It was that odd feeling that you get when you have made someone's day, and it's obvious.

All Shen knew right now, was that it felt good! But he didn't know what it was, so he snuffed it out and went back to sleep.

"Hey mom, mom!" Sao ran down the stairs, hurrying to show off her newfound riches to her mother. "Mom, look what I got!"

"Hush, Sao!" Hikari admonished. "You will wake our distinguished guests!"

"Oh, sorry." Sao whispered. "But look what I got!" She showed the money to her mother. "The peacock upstairs gave them to me!"

"Shen?" Viper interrupted, "Shen gave you this?" She was surprised. Shen never seemed the type to give money out to children...however, growing up rich, money might seem like sand to him.

"Yeah!" Sao exclaimed, earning her a glare from Hikari. "Sorry mom..."

"Very well dear..." Hikari said mildy. "Just remember to control your voice next time."

"Yes mom." Sao replied. She skipped outside, into the garden.

"That was my daughter." Hikari said to Viper, "She was born six years ago, and we gave her a Chinese name for her to fit in." She sighed. "It didn't work. She was picked on by the other children in the neighborhood, so much so, that we moved here two years ago."

Viper listened intently. It might sound odd, having your child being rejected by friends at age four, but Viper knew that cats grew out of their infancy very fast, although their maturing slowed at about age six.

Hikari continued to talk. "She...she never seemed to recover from her rejections. She was always so happy... After that, though, she seemed to sink into a grey cloud. She is always gloomy now..."

Viper frowned. "Really? She didn't seem so gloomy just now..."

Hikari nodded thoughtfully. "I know."

She turned to Viper again. "I haven't seen her so happy for three, maybe four years... She looks like she finally found a friend."

Viper frowned harder. Shen...befriending a friendless kitten...that was completely unlike him...what was he up to?

Viper was interrupted out of her musings by soft footfalls, entering the room. She turned and looked. An elderly male cat, with a long white mustache, entered the room. Viper whipered to Hikari. "That Inazuma?"

Hikari nodded. Viper slithered forward. "Inazuma, I would like to thank you for letting me and my friends into your honorable home."

Inazuma bowed, and spoke. "On the contrary, it was I who had the honor of bringing you into our despicable home." His voice matched his appearance. It reminded Viper of Master Shifu, except older.

"Will you join us for breakfast?" Inazuma asked.

"Um... I don't see why not!" Viper replied. "Just give me a second."

"Go ahead." Hikari told her.

Viper slithered quickly up the stairs, and parked herself in front of the mirror. She straightened the flowers on her head, then slithered over to Shen's sleeve and pulled out a sponge.

Shen remained asleep. She went back to the mirror, and srcubbed all the mud and dirt off her body, until her scales shone. She looked in the mirror again.

"Looks pretty nice, if I do say so myself..."

"You still look like a snake."

She heard a familiar, and not at all welcome, voice behind her. She blushed slightly. "How...how much of that did you..."

"See?" Shen interrupted. It was a habit he picked up from his nanny. "Not much, just heard you expressing your vanity..."

"Like you wouldn't..." Viper retorted. "Anyway, I was just going to have breakfast, you want to..."

Shen glowered. "You know I cannot..."

"Well soory! I didn't mean to offend your majesty!" Viper said sarcastically. "If you'r not going to come eat, just sit tight..." she slithered back down the stairs.

"What else would I do?" Shen pouted. That snake could be so inconsiderate at times...

Shen just sat there for a while. He could hear voices downstairs. "The peacock won't be joining us?" Hikari asked.

"No." Viper answered. "He has this thing, when he moves, he gets dizzy and faints. It's really irritating for him..."

Viper was interrupted by Sao rushing in, and dashing to the table.

"Sorry I'm late mom! What's for breakfast?" She looked down at her bowl and made a face. "Boiled rice? Again? But we had-"

Sao noticed her mother's face, and wisely decided to remain silent.

"So," Viper asked, "Where is Po? He normally doesn't miss meals..."

"Aaahhh, the Panda." Inazuma darkened. "I fear that the panda is deadly hurt. Nothing I can do rouses him."

Viper frowned with worry. "Can I see him?" She asked.

"Certainly." Inazuma replied. "he's right over this way."

Viper followed Inazuma through the house, into a large bedroom.

"This is our bedroom, ordinarily." Inazuma commented. "However, your panda friend was so large, the other beds could not fit him."

Viper slithered over to the bed, where a large, black-and-white lump lay, absolutely still. She tried giving him a gentle shake.

"Po? Wake up..."

Po made several incoherent muttering noises. Viper smiled. Those noises meant nothing to Inazuma or Hikari, but to Viper, with her lip-reading ability, recognized one of the sentences.

It was, "Just five more minutes..."

Viper looked back at Inazuma. "I believe I have found the root of the problem."

Inazuma seemed relieved. "Can it be fixed?"

"Yes indeed." Viper replied, "Do you have a gong handy?"

Inazuma looked at her with confusion. "Yes...there is one, right over there..."

Viper slithered up to the gong. It obviously wasn't used much, it was dusty and dirty. She brushed it off, then gave it a rap with her tail.

Po burst out of the bed remarkably fast for someone his size.

"Wha..." the expression on his face was worth a thousand.

"Ahh..." Inazuma mused. "So he was not deadly sick after all, just a heavy sleeper."

"What's going on?" Po demanded, "Where am I?" He turned to Inazuma. "Master Shifu? Is that you? You look...different...new haircut?"

"He's not Master Shifu, Po." Viper told him. "He is Inazuma. He found us in the forest yesterday, and brought us to his house. That's where we are now."

"Ooohhhh..." Po mouthed. "I knew that already, I was just, like, fooling around, you know, like I do..." He said, clearly embarrassed about mistaking the cat, (which, now that Po looked at him, with clear eyes looked nothing like Master Shifu,) for Master Shifu.

"We were just having breakfast. We would be honored if you joined us, in our disgusting meal." Inazuma said to Po.

Po blinked. He understood the word, "Breakfast" but "disgusting"?

Viper noticed Po's confusion, and mouthed "custom" at him.

"Huh? Oh!" Po said, as he got the message. "I would be honored to join your disgusting meal!"

Viper facepalmed. That was NOT how you were supposed to do it...

Fortunately, Inazuma either didn't notice this, or passed it over. "Excellent." They ate breakfast. Sao seemed somewhat disappointed that Shen wasn't eating with them, which made Viper confused. She was actually quite glad to be eating away from Shen for once, his prescence was a real downer to any party...

Obviously, Sao just didn't know him that well.

Also, Po made repeated efforts to try and socialize with Sao, but she just ignored them, or at best just nodded or shook her head. She seemed afraid of Po, and Viper began to notice the gloominess her mother had been talking about.

Shen sat upstairs, and glowered. He could hear voices downstairs, mostly either the snake-lady or another feminine voice, but occasionally, he could hear the dragon warrior, and sometimes a different voice he didn't recognize.

It wasn't fair! He couldn't walk, and they were eating breakfast without him! Shen felt like a little child, who had been punished and sent off to bed without any supper. It wasn't his fault he had this horrible, horrible head injury! He should have been more careful in the ship...

A scratching sound brought him out of his moping. Shen turned, and saw Sao, sitting at the top of the stairs. He took the pouty look off his face and straightened up.

"Greetings..." He said to the kitten.

"Hi..." the kitten answered shyly.

"I am out of money, if that's what you are wondering." Shen murmured.

"No, I was just wondering..." She gathered her courage, and continued. "Why didn't you eat breakfast with us?"

Shen's breath hitched. He hated telling anyone any weakness he might have, and this kitten had already exploited it once...but really, it was just a kitten! It wasn't like she would TRY to hurt him, telling her might actually increase his safety...

"It's...because...because, should I attempt to walk, I collapse on the floor in a dizziness fit caused by a head injury I obtained a while ago." He looked at Sao, and smirked slightly. "That is why you were able to render me unconscious."

"Oh..." Sao muttered. Now she felt even worse about pulling his head around. She looked up. "are you sure? It's not just an excuse?" her mother always said that, whenever she gave a reason why she couldn't do something.

"I am quite sure..."

"I bet your making it up!" Sao chimed. "I bet you can walk just fine!"

"Well, of you really want to find out for certain," Shen said, somewhat angry, "I'll show you."

He swung his legs out over the side of the bed, and stood up quickly, waiting for the rush of dizziness to come over him, and drop him on the floor. But nothing happened. He swung his head back and forth. Still nothing.

"Well, what do you know about that?" Shen said quietly.

Apparently, the secret of the dragon scroll held true, even here. One only had to believe that something to happen, to make it so. Shen did not believe, but Sao did, and sometimes, the belief of a child is the strongest of all.

"See! I told you!" Sao giggled.

"It normally happens..." Shen muttered. What had just happened?

He slowly span around, an activity that had been denied him for so long...nothing happened!

He stood, perfectly stable and balanced. He swept his train around, gracefully pivoting on one leg. He went through his whole Ca Li Fo routine, doing each move in slow-motion, sweeps and kicks and punches, transformed into a mystical dance, entrancing to the eye, and yet deadly. After a while, Shen stood perfectly still. During the whole routine, he had not felt dizzy once!

He felt a happy glow rush through his body, almost against his will. He was cured! That befuddling dizziness was gone, at long last! And...he didn't even know how it had happened...

"Wow..." a voice brought him out of his reverie. Sao sat there, staring with her mouth open. "That was...amazing! What are you, a dancer? That was the most..."

"No, I am not a dancer..." Shen said, not even bothering to get angry at her judgment of what he had just been doing. He looked at her, with his eyes practically glowing.

"Thank you..." he whispered, almost silently. "Thank you." louder this time.

"Awww..." Sao blushed. "I didn't do nothing..."

Suddenly, the magical moment was ruined by Po, squeezing through the door.

"Hey everybody! What's up?" he looked around, and saw Shen standing in front of the bed. "Shen! You shouldn't be standing! Your sick, remember!"

Shen's rare, glowing expression faded almost instantly, replaced by a exasperated frown. "Who are you, my mother?" He grumbled, sitting back down on the bed.

Aao ran, and hid beneath the bed, peeking out between Shen's legs.

Po could sense he had interrupted something. "What'd I do?" he asked. "What were you guys doing?"

sao gathered up the courage to speak to the giant, scary, panda. "S-Shen was showing me his danc...moving things..." She looked up at Shen.

"Shen!" Po exclaimed, "You know you can't be doing your Ca Li Fo! You get...all...dizzy..." Po's tirade was ground to a halt by the death-glare he was getting from both Sao and Shen.

"Not this time" they said together.

Po took a step back, waving his hands in front of his face. "Whoa! Sorry!" He exclaimed.

_"Man,"_ He muttered to _himself, "Who knew that those two could be so scary together?..."_

"It's fine." Shen sighed. "But I do seem to be cured of my dizziness...at least for now."

"Mom says keeping positive helps cure sickness..." Sao piped in from the floor.

Shen glared at her. "Never mind..." she said, going deeper under the bed.

"It's fine... I'm just...not good at being optimistic..." Shen reassured.

"I'll say!" Po exclaimed. "Shen is the most grumpy...Uh...nevermind."

Sao crawled out from under the bed, and dusted herself off.

"I'll just...leave..." Po said. He turned, and squeezed down the stairs, droopy and dejected.

Shen almost felt sorry for him. He had only been trying to be friendly...

He shook himself. He had almost let his guard down, letting someone invoke emotions from him. Letting someone into your heart only set you up for the pain when they betrayed you. That was the reason he had thrown those knives at Hao, without a second thought. He had always expected to be betrayed, so he felt no pain when it happened.

"Is that your brother?"

Sao's voice brought him back into reality.

"No, he is absolutely no relation to me."

"Good. He's too clumsy and stupid anyways." Sao smirked. She would privately ridicule anyone she was afraid of, even though she didn't mean it.

Shen looked down at her in surprise. "I could learn to like this kid..." Shen thought. "You know," he said out loud, "I always thought so too..."

Cao grinned. It was odd to her, to find anyone who agreed with her. "Really? Your...different..." She said, then mumbled, "No one ever agrees with me..." she then looked up at Shen. "Have you met my family?"

"No." Shen answered, "And I don't-"

"Oh! Come on then!" Sao grabbed him by his wing, and dragged him down the stairs.

"That's my mom..." she said, dragging him by Hikari, and pulling him away before she could say anything.

"And that's my dad..." She pointed out Inazuma, then dragged him outside, into the garden.

"See, this is our flower garden. " She pointed out a small patch of flowers, "And this is my patch, but the flowers there haven't grown yet."

She pointed to a bare patch in the ground. "And there's Master Viper, but you already know her." Cao thought a bit. "Is she your wife?"

"No!" Shen stammered, still gasping from his involuntary rush through the house.

"Is she your mom?" Sao asked.

"No! Does she look like me? No." Shen said. "Use some common sense."

Sao didn't seem to notice the insult. "And this is our river... Actually...it isn't our river, I dont know whose it is..." She frowned... "Anyway...that's it."

She looked up at Shen, who was rubbing his wing where she had yanked it.

"It's..." Shen said, searching for the right word. 'Pathetic' and 'miniscule' came to mind, but he had to keep a respect for their feelings in his mind, something he wasn't used to...

"It's nice..." Shen said. "I liked your beautiful flowers best...they...match the rest of the place..."

Sao looked up, trying to decipher whether that was a compliment or not...her flowers were dead... She looked at her flower patch, all brown and bare...and then something caught her eye...something white. She ran up, and examined it.

There, pushing through the dirt, and opening rapidly, grew a single, white rose.

How could she not have seen that before? Her flower patch had finally produced a flower, and she didn't even know what kind it was...she turned, and looked at Shen.

"Are you magic?" She asked, her brow creasing, "I have been waiting for this patch to make something for months..."

Shen blinked, staring at the flower...which had most certainly not been there a few minutes before. There had to be a rational explanation... All that came to mind was one thing, something his nanny had said to him, a very long while ago...

"I am not magic, at least I don't think so..." He told her.

"But the flower...look at it!" She pursed her lips. "It wasn't there before..."

Shen looked down into her green eyes, so wide and questioning. "Master Oogway said many times, that 'One must let go of the illusion of control, and nurture something, and believe in it, and it will grow." Shen frowned, unable to make himself believe he was saying this...

"Perhaps this flower was here all the time, just waiting for someone to say it was beautiful...for someone to believe in it, giving it the courage to push the ground, and out into the world."

Sao looked back at the flower. "but what if no one believed in it? What if...what if there was no one to say it was special? What would happen to the flower? Would it just...sit there, in the ground? Alone..."

Shen gulped. He knew that she wasn't talking about the flower anymore...he really wasn't good at this sort of thing...

but he had no idea what she WAS talking about! Was she talking about herself? A friend? Heck, she could even be talking about him! She could have been given a briefing on him by Viper while they were eating breakfast...this whole situation seemed oddly familiar to him...like a de ja vu...

But if she was talking about herself, a wrong answer could hurt her in a way he never wanted anyone to be hurt again.

"Well..." Shen gulped, "It would mostly be up to the flower, wouldn't it? The most important thing, is the choices one makes right now."

He could have been talking to himself. He was such a hypocrite, he had been told that so many times, and ignored each one.

"The flower could be the prettiest one of all, if it wants to, if it believes...in itself. And that's true for everyone...for flowers, for cats,"

Shen paused, and said in his mind, _"And for peacocks..."_

He shook his head slightly, and continued. "If that flower...could support itself...then it could grow into the most beautiful and glorious bush of them all...it would have been hard, it would be very hard...but it is possible..."

Sao looked back up at him. To Shen's surprise, she had tears in her eyes. "But if it did have someone to believe in it, it would be easier? Then it could grow, unhampered, with someone to support it?"

Shen sighed. "Your destiny is not determined by those around you... Just because you were not supported, does not mean you have an excuse...for failing...for going insane..."

Shen knew he was being an absolute hypocrite. He had used his lack of nurturing as an excuse for thirty years... All the same, he continued.

"It would be easier if you had someone to believe in you though..."

Shen was suddenly jerked out of his thoughts by an unexplainable and unfamiliar feeling. He looked down, and to his surprise, Sao had wrapped her arms around him, and was sobbing into his feathers. He gasped in horror.

"Hey...Cat, get off! Off!" There wasn't any response.

"Sao...please let go...please?" He pleaded, looking around in embarrassment.

"N-no one b-b-believes in meeee..." Sao moaned.

Shen stopped cold. His heart scratched, and he felt it. He was instantly reminded of himself, searching for his nanny, and bawling into her robes after being rejected by the other children in the royal school. He slowly, hesitatingly wrapped his wings around the kitten's heaving body, and leaned his head down next to her ear.

"I believe in you..." He whispered.

Sao turned and looked into his eyes. "Wh-what did you...say?"

"I-I said...that I believe in you." Shen replied. Honestly, he couldn't believe he had just said that... The kitten and peacock stayed together, with their arms wrapped around each other, for a few minutes longer. Then they separated, and stared at each other for a few minutes.

"I'll have you know," Shen said, "I haven't given a hug for...thirty...something years..."

Sao laughed. "I must be pretty special, huh?"

Shen smiled. "Yes you are."

He shook his head. "But don't you DARE tell anyone about this. This is just between me and you."

Sao nodded. She understood, but she still had to ask. "Why are you afraid of people thinking you'r nice?"

Shen didn't answer. He knew why, it was because sympathy was weakness, and weakness was something he hated. He abhorred it. But somehow, this kitten had managed to get him to admit two weaknesses in a single day. Perhaps she was the one who was magic. Anyway, everything he had just said to her could also be said to him. He had just learned two things, from himself!

Perhaps softening from time to time wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

_Author's note: I am back, from my not so long absence! And I am so...(looks at chapter) dead. On rereading this, I realize that it has a lot of similarity to "White hot darkness/If no one will listen", and a touch of "Redeeming Light". This was not intentional, I promised my sister a kitten OC. Don't worry, she's not going to be a regular character, probably will not appear in any other chapters. But, I apologize to any authors who may feel like I stole their work, so I'm going to do this!_

_Go read "Redeeming light" by crissy-miu, it's really a very good story, no bad language or mature themes, and really touching._

_And "White hot darkness" By Gothicorca...I don't remember the number. That story details some of Lord Shen's past, and is really one of the best Shen's past fics on the site._

_Also, keep those reviews coming! Just two more, and I'll break 100! Keep it up!_

_Thank you for reading, have a nice day!_


	27. Rising powers

Chapter Thirty

For the last two weeks, Shen had not so much as said a word, and the soothsayer couldn't seem to shake the cloud of depression that had settled over him. Although his injuries themselves had mostly healed, the nerves had not, and no matter how hard Shen tried, he could not move. It seemed that his injuries had destroyed more than his body. They had reached deeper, destroying his spirit. His will to live had disappeared with his mobility, sucking the energy and life from him. Who could blame him? He had just been dealt the worst blow in his life.

"It was never my destiny to be a master in strength..." Shen thought.

He had once dreamed he would be strong, fast and sure as the wind. He had thought Kung Fu was the answer, thought it, with it's endless training and deadly purpose, would give him the strength he so desperately wanted. He trained endlessly in it,pursuing his goals with a single mind. He had been so blind...

His trainers had told him that he would one day have the strength he so wanted, and that he just had to keep training, until he was ready for the next step. So long he trained...all useless. How could people be so blind? So...trusting in their masters of Kung Fu? They obviously didn't know what the 'Masters' were learning. His weapon was so much better...yet it had been conquered by that old-fashioned Kung Fu.

How could the panda have had such power? He had single-handedly destroyed Shen's entire fleet...well...not really. He had just thrown the cannonballs back. He would have been unable to do anything without the cannons...in a way, Shen had defeated himself, the panda using his own strength against him.

"One of the main points of Kung Fu" Shen thought bitterly.

He remembered the day his confidence in that martial art failed. It was full of holes! How could anyone expect that a martial art that taught COMPASSION as a major point would protect them? He was beginning to lose his faith in Kung Fu alone by age fifteen. Then he had been taken to the Jade palace...

It was mandatory for every Kung Fu student to visit the birthplace of Kung Fu at least once in their tuition period. Shen had been shipped off, (with much complaining) to the Jade palace, and then to the birthplace of Kung Fu. While all the other students were "oohing" and "ahhing", Shen had grown tired, and had been sent back to the palace, the guide saying something about his "weak albino composition" which of course Shen had taken offense to. He had returned to the Jade palace, which to his surprise was empty...

He naturally had done what any other individual would have done, finding themselves in the Jade palace unsupervised. He looked around. He poked around the entire palace, entering the training hall, the hall of heroes, the galley, the sleeping quarters, and almost every other place in the palace. Eventually, he found himself in the hall of scrolls. He knew instantly where he was. He had heard of the knowledge that could be gleaned from these scrolls, heard of the power that could be obtained... He couldn't resist a quick peek inside one of the scrolls. Moving quickly and nervously, he grabbed one of the scrolls and pulled the lid off. He scanned the scroll quickly, reading as fast as possible.

_On the focus of Qi, with the correct balance of meditation and concentration, one can achieve the seemingly impossible. One can deflect arrows, push boulders, increase speed and strength, and even create whirlpools of any of the eight main elements (see eight impossible moves, scroll 10000) and a number of other things. To achieve, one must enter a state of intense..._

Shen read through the whole scroll, then read it again. He was horrified. How could they, think that thinking hard...that THINKING hard could give you power? It made no sense! Was this Kung Fu? A hopeless, meaningless bunch of...of philosophies, with no relevance to real strength at all? This was not what he expected at all! It was all meditation techniques, for 'peace' and 'strength' which was gleaned through your mental powers, harvesting the energy of the universe. This was ridiculous!

All his life, Shen had been one for the rational, scientific approach, anything that could not be measured or quantified was abhorrent to him. Punches, dodges, parries, and blocks, such things made sense. So did working harder to lead to strength. But this, this was complete hodge-podge, from beginning to end! It couldn't be measured, couldn't be tested...couldn't be proved.

Shen had then heard a noise, and looked up. Zeng, the palace messenger and janitor, stood there staring at him. Needless to say, Shen had gotten into deep trouble that day.

But he had learned something. All that had been promised him, all that power, was nothing but foolishness. It was useless. So, if he could not get stronger physically, he would need weapons...

Shen sighed. It had all been so...temporary. His weapon, it had been unstoppable...but the panda proved that an unstoppable weapon has it's drawbacks.

Where had the panda aquired such...power? Shen had never believed in such things...but that...that would certainly qualify as "seemingly impossible" as described on that accursed scroll, whose words were branded on Shen's mind as if with fire. That scroll...had it been right? Could He have really achieved THAT sort of power?

He sighed again. If only he had tried back then. It was too late now...

Or was it?

Certainly, he had the motivation...he could not be distracted by movements...he was completely immobile... He closed his eyes. It certainly couldn't hurt to try...

_He was a single ball of light, surrounded by darkness. Slowly, slowly, the light grows, filling the bounds of the room it is trapped in. It pushes and strains, making efforts to burst through the walls, and spread throughout the universe..._

Shen gasped, breaking his concentration. He had not just been imagining it, he had really felt his left wing move a little. He tried again.

_The light pushes harder, straining with the force of a thousand hurricanes, pushing the bounds that contain it, that keep it hostage... A single seam appears in the wall, and the light shines through..._

Shen felt his neck-feathers rise, as if electricity was passing through them. He was beginning to get excited; he calmed himself, taking deep breaths, before continuing with his trance.

_The light pushes through the seam, and several brilliant beams appear in the darkness...but it is not enough...the light is still unable to escape. It pushes harder, and the seam doubles in size. _

Shen felt his leg stretch out, almost of it's own accord...

_The light ripped the barrier more, and the light continued to storm against it... _

His wing unfurled and opened, floating in an unfelt wind...

_Several more rips appeared in the barrier, and beams of light as strong as tornadoes rushed out, in a mad frenzy to escape... _

Shen's back rippled, causing his feathers to rise on his back. He felt the other leg buck underneath him, and he struggled against the urge to let out a caw of joy at the familiar pain that comes with long periods of no movement...

_The light shone brilliantly, piercing several more holes in the barrier..._

Shen felt his wings open, held above his head. He could almost feel this was building up to something...

_The ball of light sent brilliant beams in every direction, tearing the barrier more. There was almost none of it left... _

Shen felt his train unfurl behind him, opening into the swiftly rising sun...which shouldn't be there, it was still late at night...

_ The light becomes brighter, breaking the bonds that held it altogether. They shine, and glowing energies rage throughout Shen's body, flowing into every corner of his being..._

Shen's head jerked upwards, and, without him willing it, he leapt upwards, bursting through the roof of the shack and into the open air, soaring upwards like a rocket, with a trail of brilliant light behind him.

_The storm within Shen begins to subside, easing it's way throughout him..._

Shen floated back down to earth, as gently as a leaf, mindless of everything but his newfound mobility...

_ The storm ceases, and the roaring flow of light once more becomes the stream of life it was always meant to be._

Shen stood absolutely still, at complete peace with himself for once, feeling immensely proud of his accomplishment. After several minutes, he decided to speak.

"Add that to my list of 'impossible' feats..."

He opened his eyes. He was standing in the center of a field, with what looked like a crater around him. He took a deep breath. What had just happened? Where was he now? But, he couldn't care less. He could have danced at the ecstasy that was flowing through his mind, a feeling he had not felt in such a long while: happiness.

A soft rustle disturbed his thoughts.

Shen went into action quickly. He was itching for a chance to use his energy, and seemed to have been given the opportunity. He span in the air, gliding over the bush, and landed behind it. To his annoyance, he was unarmed, even his metal talons were gone. No time to think about that now. He plunged his foot into the bush, and pulled out...something, screaming and screeching.

The volume of the scream caught Shen by surprise, and he let the thing go with a yell. Whatever it was darted off into the air. Shen couldn't let it get away with his location, for him it could be fatal. He jumped up into the air after the fleeing creature, and brought it back down to the ground with a thud. He caught the flash of steel in the corner of his eye, and writhed his body sideways, avoiding the sharp blade that swished past him. He clamped his wings around the creature's neck, and placed a foot over each arm, effectively pinning it.

Now that it was immobile, he could examine it closer. It had large ears, small, squinty eyes, a flattened nose, and large, leathery wings. Shen had heard of these creatures before, but had never seen one before. A bat? What was it doing way out here?

"Who are you?" He hissed to the still-squealing bat, "And what are you doing here, spying on me?"

"I wasn't s-spying L-lord S-s-Shen..." The bat squealed.

Shen frowned. The bat knew who he was. Time to kill it. He prepared to crush the bat's wings with his feet, and to his annoyance, found that his feet were still somewhat numb, and refused to obey. The bat would live for now.

"What were you doing, then?" Shen glared at his prisoner. The bat didn't answer. "Speak, or I'll make sure you never fly again." Shen stated coolly.

Bats are not known for their ability to speak under pressure. The bat's mind was whirring, and he said the first thing that came to mind. "I-I was l-l-looking for you..." The bat stuttered.

Shen leaned his beak in closer, and the bat turned his head away.

"Why were you looking for me?" Shen questioned. "Who told you to search for me?"

The bat knew instantly that he had said the wrong thing, but he would have to continue talking, or else lose his credibility, and quite likely, his life. "M-my boss...he wanted...you over..." The bat thought frantically. What would seem plausible? He again, said the first thing that came to mind. "He wanted you over for tea. He wanted for you to eat with us...he had heard of your greatness, and wanted to speak with you..." the bat goggled. Had he really said that?

What a lame excuse... "Really..." Shen smirked. He could see through the bat's lie like rice paper. That was certainly not the reason he was here...but it gave Shen a chance to be a little cruel.

"I think I'll take you up on that offer, I'm not doing anything right now..."

"E-excuse me?" The bat quavered.

"I said I will go with you. I'll go with you, to your home, for dinner!" Shen smirked cruelly.

"O-ok...just let me up..."

"I will, but...of course you wouldn't try to run, would you? Because if you did, I would have to show off my marksmanship with throwing knives..."

The bat squealed. Everyone knew Shen was an expert with a throwing knife. "S-sure! Sure! Whatever you say!"

Shen smiled. "Of course." he released the bat from his talons.

Said bat was in a panic. Aang would be so angry...

"Well hurry up!" Shen ordered. "I haven't got all night."

* * *

Aang hung upside-down at the roof of his cave, deep in thought. He had just returned from his training room, watching his troops show their skills, and they seemed pretty impressive...yet they had been unable to stop four of the Furious Five. Aang knew what the problem was, he was not a seasoned Master, and therefore unable to pick out flaws in his armies attack and defense strategies.

What was he supposed to do about that, however? Historically, bats had never been the type of creature to learn Kung Fu, they preferred to hide, rather than fight. Those that did learn, learned the mantis style, which wasn't helpful to Aang right now. The idea of learning how to fight from something he would normally eat appalled him.

"L-lord Aang..." A quavering voice interrupted him.

Aang gritted his teeth. Why was it every time he was in deep thought, he was interrupted by someone calling him? He did not have to turn his head, the voice put a picture in his mind. "What is it, sentry?"

Aang recogizes the bat as one of his sentries, one of the ones in Gongmen, to be exact. "It had better be worth my time..."

"Well...um...you see..." the sentry stuttered.

Aang could tell almost instantly what must have happened. The bat had done something wrong, and was now trying to tell him about it, at the same time as trying to find a way to make it sound better.

"What did you do, sentry?" Aang demanded. "Tell me...all of it. Don't even think of leaving anything out..."

"It wasn't my fault!" The bat screeched, "I was just poking around, like you told me to, and I saw this guy soar up into the sky, with all this fire behind him, up like a rocket, and-"

"Get to the point! What happened?" Aang interrupted.

"Y-yes sir! Just be patient, I'm getting to it!" The bat-spy whimpered, "Anyway, I watched the trail of fire stream up into the air...and then whoever it was landed, right in front of me! I hid in a bush, and I saw who it was..." The bat-spy smiled slightly, as an idea came to him, "It was Lord Shen! The one with the cannons! So, I thought of you, and I thought that you would want to know about those cannons, so I-"

"What?" Aang interrupted again, "You did what?"

"I tricked him into coming back to the cave with me-"

The bat-spy was interrupted by Aang pinning him to the wall. "You brought HIM back here?" Aang shouted, "Lord Shen? You fool! What were you thinking?!"

"N-nothing." The bat-spy squeaked, "I wasn't thinking at all, except that you might want the secret of those cannons..."

"Of course you weren't thinking!" Aang shouted, "Did it ever occur to you to think about what HE was doing out, all by himself, in the Gongmen area? He MUST have had his army with him...they could be here any minute!"

"N-no S-sir..." The bat-spy choked, gasping for breath, "Hi-his army..w-was defeated...by Dragon warrior..." The bat-spy gasped in air as Aang suddenly released him.

"His army...was defeated?" Aang asked, softer this time.

"Y-yes, Lord Aang...his army was defeated by the Dragon warrior in the harbor, I saw it all...the Dragon warrior tossed all the cannonballs back at the boats..."

Aang growled. "He...tossed the cannonballs back to the boats?"

The sentry nodded.

"Well then..." Aang smiled cruelly, "WHY ON EARTH DO YOU THINK I WOULD WANT THE SECRET OF A WEAPON THAT CAN BE TOSSED BACK?!"

The bat-spy winced. "I-it's not as bad as it sounds..." he gulped, "everyone agreed it was an amazing feat...no one else would be able to do that..."

Aang relaxed a little. "What else are these...'cannons' useful for?"

The sentry brightened. "Lots of things!" he squeaked, "Lord Shen used them to kill Master thundering Rhino, in one shot, flatten the tower of sacred flame, and destroy a bridge...I'd say they were worth your time..."

"I'll be the judge of THAT, sentry. Remember, you are no advisor..." Aang smirked a little, "...but you are a very good spy. And if all those things you say are true...then yes, I would be very, very interested in this weapon."

The sentry grinned nervously. "So..so I didn't make a mistake?"

"It is the mistakes of life on which destiny treads." Aang said grandly. "You made a mistake, but, I am able to see a way to turn this into my advantage..."

He flew downwards, towards the mouth of the cave, to meet this Lord Shen, that enigmatic peacock who dared to show his face wherever it was not wanted.

* * *

Shen was tired. He had not been aware that the bat's home was such a long distance away. It had taken several hours of flight, (or in Shen's case, short periods of flight interpolated by short periods of running) to get here. He looked around, there were all sorts of bat's here, each armed. Shen gulped silently. Perhaps coming wasn't such a great idea...

He was interrupted in his survey by a bat flying down in front of him, surrounded by five others. The bat in the center of the ring had on a fancy brown robe, overlaid with dragon patterns, so Shen guessed he must be the king, or prince...or whatever a bat called it's leader.

"Good evening!" Shen called. "I have come, as...you...invited me..." Shen smirked noticing the confused expression on the bat's face. "I believe you all know who I am, however...I do not say the same about you."

The bat spoke. "We all know who YOU are, Lord Shen..." He smirked a little, and continued, "So...how went your assault on China? Glad there were no...pandas there, eh?"

Shen darkened. "Is that how you treat your guests? I must say, there isn't much to be said for bat hospitality..."

The bat frowned. "Alright, first thing you should know, is that, you are NOT a guest, you are a PRISONER." The bat drew himself up, and spread his wings. "I, peacock, am Lord Aang, and I am going to keep you prisoner until you tell me exactly how your cannon's work, and then I will kill you. Do I make myself clear?"

Shen raised his eyebrows, but he didn't seem phased. In fact, he burst out laughing. "AHAHAHAHHA...HAH..haha..Oh yes...you certainly make yourself clear..."

Aang's bravado changed to confusion. What was WRONG with this peacock?

"Yes, you are very clear..." Shen wiped the tears from his eyes. "Excuse me...it's just a little funny to me...that's all..." he brushed past Aang, who just stood there in confusion, and examined the walls. He brushed some dirt off, and peered at it on the end of his wingtips.

Aang recovered from his temporary shock, and glared at his guards. "Well? Don't just stand there! GET HIM!"

Aang's guards leapt into action, soaring into the air, and barreling towards Shen. Shen suddenly raised his train in the bat's faces, swiping their eyes full of irritating feathers. The bats screeched, and split up like a bombshell, each bat pursuing a different angle of attack. Shen leapt to one side, flattening himself against the floor, as a bat whizzed over his head. He rolled on his back, catching another bat by the face, and swinging him into the bat which just passed him. The two bat's collided, screeching, and a wing-blade fell to the floor. Shen raced over towards it, sweeping the struggling bats on the floor away with his train, and picked up the wing-blade. The bats paused their attack momentarily at the sight of Shen, holding the blade, with train fanned against the wall.

"I would never give the secret of my cannons to you..." Shen sneered. "At least...not by force."

Aang grinned. "You forget, peacock, that this is MY cave. I hold all the power here..." He turned to his bats, who had returned to him. "Attack! Make him immobile!"

"Not again, bat..." Shen barely had time to say that before he was forced into a full split on the ground, dodging the bat that barreled over his head.

He shot upwards again, propelling himself into the air, rolling on top of a flying bat, and blocking the strike of another with the wing-blade he had picked up. Another bat landed in front of him, and the two engaged in a fierce battle, Shen doing his best to dodge or block his smaller adversary's deadly blades, and the bat giving it all he had to hit the peacock.

The bat swung his blade, but Shen angled his head, so the blade passed harmlessly over. Shen kicked upwards, but the bat span sideways, slashing his blade towards Shen's leg. Shen moved his leg away, but not fast enough, the blade nicked his leg-scales, drawing blood. Shen looked down grimly.

"Your going to pay for that..." He snarled.

"And how-" The bat responded, but was interrupted by a sudden flaring in his face, as Shen fanned his train, and span backwards, away from the bat.

He raised the wing-blade he was holding, and flicked his wing... ZIP! The blade flew across the room, impacting the bat, and pinning him to a wall by his wing membrane.

"That..." Shen muttered, "That is how." he looked around at the other bats. "Don't even THINK of joining in this fight..." his gaze turned back to Aang. "If you are quite finished with your pointless fighting, I have...another proposition."

The bats all looked to Aang, who just stared. That peacock...he should have brought more bats... "Stand down..." He said, "Stand down...for now." He looked back to Shen, who was smirking slightly. "What is your...proposition? Be aware that I can, at any time, call down an army of bats, to rip you limb from limb. Even you can't fight off that many..."

Shen's smirk turned into a full-out smile. "But you won't. You won't, because if you do, your chance for power dies with me. And you want power, don't you? You want it so bad..."

Aang said nothing, for it was true. His lust for power was strong, clouding his brain...power, so alluring, so useful...

"...and believe me, you will be given that power...if." Shen said, mocking slightly with his tone.

"If what?" Aang snarled, showing his fangs. "I hold the power here, peacock, I already have anything I could ever want!"

Shen's face remained the same. Mocking. "What a droll notion..." He laughed, noting Aang's angry expression. "When one is motivated by a lust for power, one...never...has...enough."

Aang's eyes narrowed. "You obviously do not know of my accomplishments." Aang hissed. "I am Lord Aang, ruler and uniter of the bat clans! Founder of the army! Stealer of the 10000 sacred scrolls!"

Shen rolled his eyes at all these 'accomplishments'...except for the last one. "You have the 10000 sacred scrolls?" He asked.

"Well..." Aang muttered, "I did. Stupid Furious five, they came in recently and stole them back. I have the copies though..."

"Copies?" Shen cocked his head. "I was not aware that anyone had copied the sacred scrolls."

"I had my army copy...them..." Aang's eyes widened, as he realized something.

"I...had...my...army...copy...them... UUNNGGGG! How could I have forgotten!? I have the copies of the scrolls..."

Shen watched the bat walk back and forth, continuing his tirade for a few minutes. After a while, he grew bored. "Are you quite finished yet?" He asked. Aang snapped out of his tirade, looking up at Shen.

"Whether I am or not, that comment is not your place. But yes, I am ready to hear your 'proposition'."

"Oh good..." Shen remarked, and started to pace back and forth. "You want power, you want a tool to achieve it. All very well and good. But the tool you happened to choose for your taking, was MINE. Therefore, what I want, must be taken into consideration..."

"Cut to the chase, peacock..." Aang said irritably.

"My my, so impatient! Good things come to those who wait!" Shen remarked. "Anyway, let me, as you said, 'cut to the chase'. I will help you build the cannons, but..."

here he paused, for dramatic effect,

"But, I will not give you the plans. I, myself, will oversee the construction of the cannons, giving each piece of information, as it is needed."

"What do you want in return?" Aang questioned, narrowing his already narrow eyes.

"I want nothing!" Shen exclaimed, "Nothing except...a look at those scrolls."

"And what, and this will be my final question," Aang said, a sly smile crossing his face, "What stops me from...from calling my bats down on you, capturing you, and TORTURING you for the plans?" Aang looked Shen over.

Shen could tell that no matter what his answer was, Aang would call down the bats. He had a few tricks up his sleeve though...literally.

Shen's response was dramatic. Whipping out a wing-blade from the sleeves of his robe, he held it to his own throat. "Call your bats," Shen spat, "And your chance for glory dies with me."

Aang's eyes widened. "You wouldnt...you wouldn't dare!"

"Try me." Shen replied, with a somewhat mad look to his eyes.

Normally Aang would have done one of two things, either tell Shen to "go ahead", or call the bats. But he wanted those cannons soooo bad...and Shen might not be bluffing.

He sighed. "Very well, peacock! But remember, I am to be your SUPERIOR! You will obey me in any changes I may make regarding this 'deal' and you will NOT get the scrolls without my express permission!"

Shen understood. He was to be Aang's wolf boss. The fool... "I understand and comply, Lord Aang." he said, doing a sweeping bow. Aang smiled slightly, unable to see the mocking face that Shen hid behind the bow.

One of the bats did though, and sniggered.

"What are you laughing at?!" Aang demanded.

"Nuthin'" The bat replied.

"Oh, Lord Aang..." Shen said, his head still held low, "I respectfully ask permission to return to my home to...collect some things."

Aang thought a while. "Request granted!" he said, "But be back soon."

"Oh, I certainly will..." Shen said, stepping back and turning away. His footsteps faded away as he left the cave.

"That was the MIGHTY Lord Shen?" Aang asked, "I was expecting someone...smarter. He acted like a begging puppy as soon as you give him a hope of seeing some scrolls..."

* * *

Shen stood outside the cave, and took a deep breath. He was tired, all that jumping around had made him exhausted...apparently, all that lying around back at the hut had put him out of shape. He must start exercising again... Anyway, about the present situation...

Shen shuddered at the humiliation he had just been put through. He would have to keep that up for a while, if his plan was to work...it would work, though.

That snigger the bat had hidden gave him all the proof he needed of that... Now to head home. He had kept a careful watch on the way here, so he knew exactly the way back. But he wasn't going to get any belongings, he was going to get...a prediction.

Several hours later, the soothsayer whirled, to find Shen standing before her.

"Shen!" she said, clutching her chest, "What happened?"

"Nothing." Shen replied, "Except that China is once more within my grasp."

* * *

_Author's note: Yes! Another chapter! This one will set the stage for many to come, and I will thank Shen's general for providing some minor help with this chapter._

_Also, I will explain this whole "two Shens" thing. When I said that Shen was dead, he wasn't really, he was simply in a temporary coma resembling death. However, because he was technically dead, his spirit traveled to heaven, where Fenghuang jumped the gun, sending Shen back in a new body when the other one is still active. _

_Also, what I would like to point out is that there isn't actually technically two Shen's, it's like meeting someone who looks like you and happens to hav the same name. Both are now separate entities. But only one has a spirit, that is the reborn one._

_Also, (again) I would like to ask a quick question: What defines a Mary-sue? For some, it seems to be an all round perfect character, and for others it's just an OC pairing. Can someone help me out here?_

_Thanks for reading! I appreciate it! Reviews are VERY much loved!_

_Also, thanks to Alpha Tiger for being my 100th reviewer, and Antariss for being my 101th!_


	28. Demented love

Chapter Thirty-One

The soothsayer froze. That tone...that awful tone...the same tone he had when he swore revenge on his parents.

"Oh no Shen!", She exclaimed, walking towards him rapidly, "Oh no. Not again..."

"Calm down, soothsayer..." Shen smirked, and drew himself up, "I did not come all the way back here to be reprimanded! I came here for a prediction!" The soothsayer ignored him, however.

"How are you even standing? You should have been..." her face suddenly hardened, and she slapped Shen across the face. "How dare you run off without telling me! I was worried sick! You could have given me a heart attack!"

"Ouch!" Shen yelped, rubbing his cheek, "It was not my fault, I was propelled...and as for why I am standing... It would seem that your medical skills are even poorer than your soothsaying skills."

She gave him a disapproving look, which quickly faded back to her worried expression. "Why must you continue on your pointless quest to subjugate China? Have you learned nothing?"

Shen frowned. "No, on the contrary, I have learned much..." he sighed, thinking of something. "When you are knocked down, just return to your feet. Even if you are hit by a cannonball..."

"Shen, why do you do this? What good will it do?" she soothsayer pleaded, trying to get him to change his mind.

"My parents-" Shen began, but was interrupted by the soothsayer.

"Are you still convinced that your parents hated you?" she exclaimed, pulling his face down closer to hers. "Your parents exiled you to protect you, did you ever think of that? Why would they protect someone they did not love?

Shen pulled away from her, and looked back out the door, into the night, which was fading into morning.

"I know that," he said simply, "I have always known that. When my parents exiled me, I was mad with anger, and said some things I did not mean. I am sure... I am sure my father did the same..."

Shen looked down at the ground. "Over the period of my exile, I had plenty of time to think about... About it. My father, he disowned me... He threw me away like garbage...but he did it to protect me. Either from a mob or an executioner."

The soothsayer had nothing to say. Her skills normally told her exactly what went on inside Shen's head, but she had always assumed Shen hated his parents for hating him...

"Shen..." She began, but he interrupted.

"I am not finished, soothsayer..." he sighed, "When..when you told me...that my parents had died from the grief I caused them... I-I determined to make it up to them. I would, and I will, make the city they so loved, into the greatest and most glorious empire that the world has ever known... And then... And then they will have something to be proud of me for."

The soothsayer gasped. It had all come clear to her now. Some people send flowers, other people send cards, but Shen... Shen! He would take China, level cities, rip families apart, as an expression of love to his parents.

"I have done several things wrong," Shen frowned, "But I will, I WILL make it right. Their city will be glorious, forgetting the pandas that once lived there, and I will have atoned..."

"You cannot pay for deaths with more deaths, She,." the soothsayer pointed out, "No amount of killing will ever make up for what you have done. Killing is NOT the answer."

Shen said nothing for several minutes, pondering this. At last, he spoke.

"Have you ever thought of countries as people, soothsayer?" Shen asked, "I have. Often. In such a philosophy, when a person becomes unruly, or does not perform as well as it could, it is punished. The person may not like the punishment, but it is for the person's good. Often, the person will look back, and thank the person that administered the punishment. In the same way, China may not like the pain that I will inflict upon it, but... In the future, the world will thank me."

"Shen!" the soothsayer shouted, "What is wrong with you? Are you completely heartless?"

Shen's thoughtful face vanished, replaced with an awful scowl. "Now you should know THAT better than anyone..."

he turned away from the door, and faced her.

"I will bring Gongmen into a new prosperity, China into a new era, and the WORLD into a new dawn!"

As he spoke, as if aiding his speech, the sun rose in fiery glory behind him, burning the sky into blazing red.

Shen noticed this. "You see? Even the sun agrees with me..." he smiled wryly.

"Shen..." the soothsayer began, "That does not make your plan any better. It is villainous!"

"Now now now," Shen smirked, "Weren't you the one who always told me that it is not the action, but the motive behind it?"

before the soothsayer could answer, Shen continued. "Nevermind. I did not come here to argue. I want you to predict the future..."

"Shen, why do you want to know the future? It is dangerous!" she cried, then smiled a little. "And it always makes you so angry..."

"It will be different this-"

"Time?" the soothsayer interrupted.

Shen glared. "That was pathetic. A two year old could have guessed that!"

"See?" the soothsayer sighed. "You always get so angry at my predictions..."

"That was not the type of prediction I-"

"Wanted?" the soothsayer interjected.

"Desired," Shen said haughtily, "I was going to say 'desired'," He glared at her, "Now, no more jokes, I want to know what will become of-"

"Your venture?"

"WILL YOU STOP DOING THAT!?" Shen shouted, then calmed himself down. "Enough jokes. I want to know what will become of...this."

Shen drew out a small model, which the soothsayer recognized as a scale model of one of his earlier cannon types.

"You want to know what will become of your monstrosity?" she asked, "I must warn you, You may not like the answer..."

"To be more exact, I want to know what will become of it if I use it in my planned venture." Shen stated, then added, "And I should have no trouble keeping my temper down. The weapon was designed by me; it's destiny will be glorious."

"It certainly won't be dangered by you falling on IT..." the soothsayer said wryly.

"Can you quit it with the jokes!" Shen hissed, "You never used to be reluctant to tell the future before..."

"Nor am I now," she said, dropping the model into her bowl, and a small cloud of smoke billowed out. But instead of dissipating, the cloud continued to grow, until it filled the entire room. Sparks appeared, flashing and beautiful. The image of a Phoenix appeared in the flames, manifested by the fireworks. But then, the Phoenix slowly turned, vanishing, and was replaced by a terrifying dragon, scaly and roaring.

_ "The dragon that was born from the phoenix..."_ the soothsayer interpreted.

Shen understood. The phoenix was the feminine, of the arts and dances. The dragon was the masculine, of weapons and war. So the dragon that was born of a phoenix, meant a weapon conceived from an art.

The dragon soared upwards, growing as it flew. The image of the earth appeared, in the path of the dragon, but the dragon flew through it, and wrapped itself around the earth, completely smothering it.

_"Has the opposition of the world against it, but the dragon overcomes the world, and dominates it..."_

Shen grew excited. This must be why people want predictions, the thrill of seeing something of yours become great was irresistible.

The dragon soared upwards, flying, carying the world with it, until it encountered a serpent, covered with feathers, which was coiled around the other side of the world. The dragon battled the feathered serpent, and the world was burned under the two's coils. Then the image changed, to that of an old tortoise, wise and fatherly. Shen recognized it as master Oogway. The tortoise swirled, and was replaced by a peacock, sinister and terrifying.

_"The dragon encounters a feathered serpent, and the two battle. The dragon is victorious, but the world is burned by the battle. The invention of the peacock triumphs over __the creation of the tortoise, but much beauty is lost."_

Shen nodded excitedly. The feathered serpent...a mix of phoenix and dragon... That must signify an art-form turned deadly, but still retaining it's art. That must be Kung Fu! And...

The soothsayer watched the smoke die down. She looked up at Shen. He was ecstatic. She could have sworn that he was bouncing up and down. She sighed. This was not the discourager she had hoped for...

"Shen!" she said, snapping him out of his reverie, "Do not think this means you will be victorious. It simply means that your weapon will become common, and eventually replace Kung Fu as China's primary defense means."

She studied Shen's face, and noticed that he still seemed way too excited. "It could take thousands of years to be accomplished... And even when it does happen, there is no guarantee that any glory will come to you..."

Shen finally answered. "It doesn't matter. My weapon will become China's primary form of defense!"

"May become China's primary form of defense." the soothsayer corrected.

"Dear soothsayer," Shen retorted, "Since when did you start doubting your skills?"

"And when did you start believing in them?" she answered back.

Shen was flustered for a moment, then smirked, "That is not the point. Can't you see? My weapon becomes great! And even if I am dead by the time it happens, my parents will see, and be proud of what I have done. The dead do not judge by time, nor by glory. Besides that, how could it not bring me glory?"

"Your name may be long forgotten, Shen." the soothsayer answered. "You are not immortal."

"Then I will have to go out," Shen replied, turning back to the door, "Make my mark on the world, a mark so great it will NEVER be forgotten. My destiny is great, I can feel it. All I have to do is realize it."

The soothsayer sighed. She knew that no matter what she did, she would never be able to turn Shen from his dark path.

If he fought for money, she would be able, for money is a weak lust. Power, as well, she could handle, for she had dealt with several power-crazed lunatics in her time. Even revenge, one of the strongest and most powerful forces out there, was able to be dealt with, for the lust for revenge is quantified, and can be fulfilled.

But love... Love was the strongest power of all. She could not sway someone from their quest to find it, or sustain it, even demented love such as this.

Shen's cannons were strong, revenge was powerful, but love was greater still. Shen would fight till he believed he had achieved it, not caring how many people would die for his search for the pride of his parents.

Love, even demented, was the strongest force on earth.

* * *

_Author's note: The itsy bitsy chapter climbed up tha waterspout, down came the flamers and knocked the chapter out..._

_Seriously, this chapter felt so short compared to my last ones!_

_Thank you, all you guys who defined "Mary-Sue" for me! That was really helpfull of you!_

_You know what else would be helpful? Reviews! Not like you aren't reviewing already, but this is directed to all those readers who read and don't review._

_To RobinRobert: I am unfamiliar with "Shining" so, I'm not quite sure about that. If you could just get an account, I would love to talk to you. However, for now, I'm going to ignore any possible quantum dilemmas that having two Shens could cause, as that would be absolutely devastating for my story..._


	29. New homes

Chapter Thirty-Two

"Why do you have to gooooo? Can't you stay a little longer?" Sao whined.

The time had come for Po, Viper, and Shen to leave the household of Inazuma (much to Sao's displeasure) and they were now saying their goodbyes.

"Hush Cao!" Hikari hissed to her daughter, "They have to be on their way. They have important business to attend to."

Sao made a face, and bolted from the doorway.

"Bye!" Po shouted over his shoulder, already on his way.

Viper sighed. She liked longer goodbyes, and she knew that the panda, with his short stamina, would be easy to overtake again.

"Goodbye Hikari, goodbye Inazuma..." she said, shaking Inazuma's paw and giving Hikari a hug, "Thanks for everything! I don't know how we will repay you..."

"Do not be concerned!" Inazuma reassured, "We do not want anything in return. Most people dream of hearing a member of the Furious Five ask how they can repay them, having you stay in our despicable house was honor enough."

Shen said nothing. He always hated goodbyes, ever since his exile. But more than that, he felt foolish, somewhat awkward, like a person on his first day at the job. He was unused to showing gratitude, even such a simple thing as a goodbye... He saw that Viper was perfectly comfortable with it, and he was not. She, a lowly peasant snake, had a skill which he, a high-born royal bird, completely lacked in.

"...Well, thanks again!" Viper said, giving one last thanks to the family of cats,

They both turned to leave. Shen attempted a small wave of farewell, but took his wing down quickly, nervously, as if he was ashamed that this small token of friendship was not good enough.

"Hey! Wait!"

A voice stopped them, and they both turned around. Sao was running up the path towards them.

"Wait! You can't just..." she reached them, and stopped. She looked up at Viper, rather shyly. "Goodbye..." then she looked towards Shen, and looked back down to the ground, making circles with her foot. "I-I...brought you something..." She whispered, pressing something soft into Shen's wing.

"Er...thank you, little kitten..." Shen stammered, looking at Viper, wondering what she was thinking about this. He began to get a little embarrassed. "That was quite thoughtful of you..." Sao smiled, and bowed.

Then she did the last thing in the world Shen wanted her to: She leaped on him, and wrapped her little arms around him in a hug.

Shen almost screamed, looking at Aao with horror. His eyes turned back to Viper, who was watching with amused amazement. Shen blushed bright red. Po suddenly appeared back, wondering what was taking them so long.

_"Oh great, why don't we just give the whole world an invitation?"_ Shen thought.

He observed the faces, and realized that his expression and stance must have been rather comical, he was causing himself more embarrassment. "Oh, who cares... I'll just stand here, looking like an idiot..." he muttered, before wrapping his wings around Sao and returning her hug, albeit in a much more halting and nervous manner.

He swore he heard Viper "Awww"... That snake.

He was never going to hear the end of this. Much to Shen's relief, Sao released him from her embrace, and waved, before running down the path back to her parents.

"Bye!" she called back, "Come back soon!"

The three..friends? walked away. Shen watched the house and three cats fade off into the distance, and looked to see what Sao had given him. His heart skipped a beat. Pressed into his wing, was a single white rose.

"Sooo..." Viper asked, looking at Shen, "That girl seemed to be really sad you were leaving... Like her best friend was leaving..." she looked meaningfully at Shen.

"Sao?" Shen replied, "She was not my friend. She was attracted to my money."

"Come on!" Viper retorted, "You HUGGED her! I couldn't imagine you hugging anyone! Also, she happens to be a chronic depressive. How did you get her to look so... happy?"

Shen stopped. "Well, what do you know about that," he said softly.

"About what?" Viper asked.

"I am too. I am a depressive too... And she embraced me first!" Shen added, "It would have been rude not to."

"Since when did you care whether you were rude or not?" Po butted in.

"What did she give you?" Viper asked.

"None of your business." Shen retorted! "But, if you really needed to know, she gave me a flower," He said, holding the flower up.

"Why did she give you that?" Po inquired, "Does it signify something special?"

"Just something between us... Now, if you'll excuse me, I would like to enjoy my walk in silence," Shen replied.

Shen soon learned, however, that there was no such thing as a 'silent walk' when you are traveling with Po. After several hours of riveting Dragon Warrior stories, one thing became clear. It was going to be a long walk.

And indeed it was. Several hours later, Viper stopped them and gestured to the ground around them.

"Look!" she said to Shen.

Shen stepped forwards, and found himself on the edge of a precipice. Below him, he could see miles of fresh green land, surrounded by tall, majestic mountains.

"Here we are!" Viper exclaimed, "The Valley of peace."

Shen observed the country. It was beautiful, in a different way than Gongmen. Gongmen was a city of created marvels and monuments, the Valley of peace was a natural beauty. It looked like it had been created by hand, then left for eons, unchanged by the people that lived in it. No wonder Master Oogway had chosen this place to create Kung Fu...it still struck Shen with as much awe as when he had last seen it, thirty-five years ago.

"It's still lovely..." Shen breathed.

The memories this brought back...they were almost overpowering.

"Come on, guys!" Po panted, heaving his bag over his shoulder! "We have to get Shen over to that old candle-making shack! We have wasted enough time, Master Shifu is probably getting concerned!"

"Right, right Po." Viper said, looking down the cliff. "You know, I never realized how much I missed this place until I saw it again."

She sighed. Gongmen was lovely, but this was her home.

"A sentiment that should be expressed later." Shen stated coldly. "I am quite tired, and would enjoy some rest." Despite the fact that his species was designed for long walks, Shen's lack of exercise over the past two months had made him somewhat lethargic.

"Alright, alright!" Viper rattled, "Don't get your pinfeathers ruffled..."

"He's madder than a wet hen?" Po added.

"Can you please refrain from using those avian slang jokes on me?" Shen asked irritably! "And I am not madder than a wet hen. Have you even ever seen a wet hen? They go completely insane, throwing things and shrieking..."

"Bath day where you lived must have been rather hectic, eh?" Po commentated.

"Not really..." Shen answered, "Peafowl actually rather enjoy their baths, as long as they are given plenty of time to get in. If you rush them, it's another matter entirely..."

"So, you were easy to get to take a bath?" Po asked! "I find that hard to believe...when I was little...yes, I once was little..."

"I know, I saw you." Shen said. The conversation dwindled away into an awkward silence.

"I...I only meant to protect myself," Shen muttered.

"Hmm?" Po answered, "What was that?"

"I...I never meant to..to...I-I didn't know what I was thinking...it was the only way I could think of at the time!" Shen sighed! "I mean about...the massacre. I meant to...to stop the pandas from killing me! I never meant to kill them all, but once I started... I couldn't stop..." He lowered his head and his voice. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Po said, even though there were tears in his eyes, "If-if you hadn't done what you did...then this whole valley wouldn't be here. Tai Lung would have destroyed it all, and I would never have become the Dragon warrior." He took a deep breath, and continued.

"You see, even though things may seem painful, they all turn out for the best in the end. If you had not destroyed the pandas, chances are that you would have ruled Gongmen and taken over China, with no-one to stop you."

Shen blinked. "I fail to see the problem there...to rule China...I believed to be my destiny."

"That's the thing, you see!" Po exclaimed! "What is best for us doesn't necessarily mean what we want, or even what we think we need. It is what will lead us into the paths that were chosen for us. If you were ruling China now, Shen, you would never have had this chance to reform. You would have boiled away in your anguish."

"Wow..." Viper gawked. She didn't think Po had it in him. "How many philosophy books have you read lately?"

"A few, in my spare time at Gongmen," Po shuffled, "What?"

A few long hours later, Po led Viper and Shen into a bamboo forest. It was crowded and secluded, and Viper expected to see the shack somewhere. But then Po pulled aside a curtain of vines, revealing a hidden cave.

"In here!" he whispered.

"Alright...why are we whispering?" Viper asked in a hushed voice.

"Dunno..." Po whispered back.

He led them through the cave, which was actually more like a tunnel, leading underground a short distance, before turning back upwards. Suddenly, the three ran into a solid wall of stone.

Viper stared. "Um...Po? There's a large wall in the way..."

"Hold on..." Po replied, pushing the wall on the lower-left-hand corner. The whole wall rotated, and the three were suddenly enveloped in sunlight.

"Woah!" Viper and Shen exclaimed simultaneously. They were standing in a small valley, with steep, overgrown cliffs on every side of it.

"I know, amazing, right?" Po boasted, "I found this by complete accident. I call it Heaven's pothole."

Viper stared. "Heaven's pothole? Seriously Po?"

"Cool name, huh?" Po said.

"Not quite the exact term I would use," Shen said wryly, "Where do I live?"

"Over there!" Po said simply, gesturing towards the tower in the center of the valley. It was obviously old, and overgrown with vines, but looked solid enough.

Shen seemed impressed. "At least it's an improvement over that leaky shack..." he muttered, "Although it's not the tower of Sacred flame..."

"It would be difficult to find that, seeing as how you flattened it!" Po replied, scratching the back of his head, "Don't you want to go check it out?"

"Whatever you say, pand-...Po." Shen corrected himself.

* * *

The tower was actually much smaller than it looked, having a long, winding staircase, leading up to a large, airy room up at the top. It was full of spiderwebs, and even had some heavily dilapidated furniture, which Shen would never trust his weight to. Everything seemed slightly green.

Shen's first impulse was to scream with anger. This is where he would be living, perhaps for the rest of his life? It was probably going to collapse at any moment! But...then again, they didn't have to even bother getting him this. They could have just reported him to the authorities, and he would have no longer been their problem. He certainly would have done that...they were better than he was, deep down, and he knew it.

So, he would just stay quiet. He didn't notice what an improvement that was over his old demeanor. He used to just ignore others.

"Well..." Po said, rubbing his hands on his pants, "What do you think?"

"Oh...well, it's fine..." Shen gulped, and braced himself for his next words! "And I...I would like to thank you. For going through all this trouble, I mean."

Po's eyes widened. He had been sure that Shen would shout, rant, perhaps throw something. But to thank him...he really was progressing! He grinned. "I'm glad you like it! Now, if you can just make yourself comfortable, me and Viper have to get back to the palace..."

"Ahh..the Jade palace. Of course!" He shook his head, and turned back to Po, "Go ahead. I'll just wait here..."

"Good!" Po exclaimed, "Come on, Viper, we have to get back to the palace! Bye Shen!"

Shen listened to Po and Viper troop down the stairs. When he was sure they were out of earshot, he lifted his head and screeched, kicking a moldy chair across the room. He was going to be stuck in here for HOW long?

"That stupid, STUPID panda! This can not be happening!"

He proceeded to throw a lovely tantrum, kicking and shouting and screaming.

Eventually, he calmed down. If he was going to be stuck in a crumbling tower for perhaps the rest of his life, he might as well make the best of it. He started cleaning, at first just intending to straighten up a little, but then his perfectionist nature took over, and he started an in-depth clean.

About halfway through his clean, he felt something stab his foot. Looking down, his heart sank. He had crushed a white rose. He picked it up, and put it in a glass of water.

"There now, you might as well die in comfort..." he looked around. "And that goes for the both of us."

* * *

Po and Viper looked up. They were standing at the bottom of the thousand steps.

"Wow..." Viper sighed, "It really takes your breath away, doesn't it?"

"Uh huh..." Po mumbled.

"It's beautiful...you never realize how much you miss something until you don't have it...I could almost cry.." Viper choked, and pulled out a handkerchief.

"That's not what I meant," Po said, "Just looking up those stairs makes me feel out of breath.."

"Po!" Viper smacked him playfully.

"Oh well, might as well get it over with..." Po groaned.

"Hey, it's Po! Po's back!" They heard a familiar voice overhead.

Crane soared low over them, saluting with his foot.

"Hey Crane!" Po shouted.

"I'm here too!" Viper exclaimed.

"Can you give us a ride up?" Po asked.

"Not normally," Crane replied, landing next to Po, "But this time, I might make an exeption...I can certainly carry Viper, but you..."

"I'm sure you can do it!" Po encouraged.

A few minutes later, Crane dropped Po and Viper in front of the doors to the palace.

"I knew you could do it!" Po exclaimed happily, slapping Crane on the back.

"Gah...hah..I..Awwww.." Crane gasped, clutching his stomach, "I...ha..am...ne...ver doing that...again."

"Hey! Po's back! Hey Po!" Monkey ran out to greet them, Mantis perched on his shoulder.

"And Viper!" Viper added.

"Hey Viper!" Mantis called.

"Hey Mantis!" Po exclaimed, embracing Mantis in a bear hug, "I missed you, little buddy!"

"I...missed...you...too!" Mantis choked, trying to avoid being crushed by Po.

"Glad to have you back, Dragon warrior.! Tigress's deep voice rung through the air.

"Good to be back, Tigress!" Po reached toward her, but she stepped back.

"Not this time, Po!" She semi-laughed.

"I am glad you made it back safely." Master Shifu stated. He would never admit it, but he had been worried sick over the last three days, and it had showed in his concentration.

"We had quite an adventure!" Viper smiled.

"I am sure you did!" Shifu answered her.

"Yup, and I am soo tired." Po exclaimed. "I could really use a rest."

"Yes, I am sure that both you and Viper are exhausted. You have the rest of the day off, use it as you will."

"Thank you, Master."

Both Po and Viper bowed, and left the room, each heading towards his or her quarters.

* * *

The whole place was full of the sounds of clashing metal, and banging of steel against stone. Shen had set the bats to work, mining the metal-rich walls of their cave.

Aang had allowed Shen to command a small amount of bats, and Shen had taken full use of it. He had asked Aang for the permission to make himself some weapons, but Aang had refused, and Shen wasn't about to beg.

"Pompous fool..." Shen muttered to himself. The lack of weapons steamed him, he felt almost naked without them. But he would have to be patient; one wrong move could have him in bits and pieces on the floor.

He turned to 'his' bats, working on the wall. The bats were hard-working, but small; Shen had needed to design a pulley system for them to move the metal ore.

Suddenly, an enormous crashing sound echoed throughout the cave.

Shen started, and looked at the location of the sound. He frowned, the whole pulley system had collapsed. A whooshing sound whistled over his head, causing Shen to groan inwardly. Aang was already there, he must have been waiting for something to go wrong.  
Shen leaped over the railing, and towards the disaster zone.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I-I'm sorry..." a bat mumbled.

"What did you do?" Aang questioned harshly.

"I-I just pulled the rope..." the bat squeaked, "And the whole thing jammed and collapsed..."

"You imbecile!" Aang screeched, striking the bat across the face. "We cannot have such clumsiness around here!" He struck the bat across the face again. "You will be punished, severely!"

Shen had seen enough. He dashed in-between the bat and Aang.

"That is quite enough!" he exclaimedL "The bat was only doing what I told him to. It was a problem with the rig, not the bat."

"Then..." Aang hissed, "It is you who will be punished!"

He struck Shen across the face with such force that Shen staggered back, and tripped over, with three deep scratches across his face.

"That was your rig. Let that be a warning to you. Do not outdo your usefulness, Shen."

Shen rubbed the scratches on his face, and looked up at Aang with such venom that even Aang stepped back.

_"You will wish you hadn't done that..."_ Shen whispered mentally.

Aang recovered his appearance of control. "Punish that bat. I leave you still in command...for now."

Shen watched him leave, then turned to the bat who had broken the rig. He(the bat) was quaking with fear.

"Tell me, bat," Shen asked, "What is your name?"

The bat gaped. No one ever asked his name! "B-Bianfu, sir..."

"Bianfu..." Shen continued to stroke his cheek.

"I will remember that. Now get back to work."

"B-but Aang said..." Bianfu stuttered.

"What, do you want me to change my mind?" Shen asked.

"No...no sir!" Bianfu said happily.

Shen walked back to his crows nest. His plan was going well.

"Let's just hope it stays that way."

* * *

Aang sat in his quarters. Despite the fact that he was in complete control of the situation, Shen had him worried. He didn't respond like other people did, and that frightened him. He saw through Shen's plan, he had done some research on what a master of the 10000 sacred scrolls was capable of doing.

Shen was going to use his metal to build his cannons again, then use the knowledge from the scrolls to destroy him and his army.

However, Aang had an advantage. He controlled whether or not Shen read the scrolls. All he had to do, was keep Shen from reading too many of them, and everything would be okay.

Right? Aang got the uncomfortable feeling that it wasn't. Shen wasn't like others, he wasn't predictable. And he was just crazy enough to get Aang worried.

A batty bat and a cuckoo peacock. What happens next is in the hands of fate.

* * *

_Author's note: Shen says: who are you calling cockoo?_

_Anyway, thank you for all your reviews! This story is seriously the most reviewed K-K+ Shen story on the site, which is all thanks to you guys!_

_And to those who read, but do not review, doom on you! (see, that rhymes, say it a few times, and you'll see.)_

_Also, I think this chapter stinks. Anyone agree with me? I need to work on expansion a little._

_To RobinRobert: I did so respond to your comment! Check the end of the Author's note on the last chapter._

_R&R, people!_


	30. Relapse

Chapter Thirty-Three

Shen dashed to the right, spinning his train beneath him, in attempt to knock his opponent off his feet. His opponent, however, rolled over the train, pinning it to the ground. Shen kicked high, towards his opponents face, scoring a good hit. The opponent took advantage of Shen being on one leg, and swept his own leg sideways, sending Shen sprawling on the ground.

To the untrained eye, this may have seemed like a battle to the death between two skilled warriors, and indeed, it could have quickly turned into one, but at the moment, the battle was kept under control by the physiological rule of sparring. Po, hearing Shen's complaints about his boredom, had offered to give him some lessons in Kung Fu, which Shen grudgingly accepted. He already knew a good deal about his martial art style, Ca Li Fo, but his physical prowess had dwindled with his age, and concentration on the creation of his cannons, to the point where he was almost completely reliant on his blades. Learning some unarmed combat couldn't hurt.

But before he could be taught, Po had to know what level of skill his new student already possessed, and that was why they were sparring.

Shen rolled sideways, and flung himself to his feet. Po came at him, leaping into the air toward Shen's face. Shen grabbed Po's leg, and brought it to the ground, then turned, and sent Po flat on his back with his train.

That series of moves brought back memories; Shen had used the exact same technique in his battle with Po in the factory.

"I hate it when you do that!" Po exclaimed, flipping himself back to his feet using his hands.

"I'm glad you do." Shen replied cooly.

The two warriors now stood still, still in their stances, about five feet from each other, waiting for the other to make the first move.

Patience had never been one of Shen's strong points, which was demonstrated when he broke the stand-off, flying into a sudden and powerful roundhouse kick towards Po's belly. Any other warrior would have been floored by the sudden attack; Po just tightened his tummy, causing Shen to bounce off with surprising force. Shen looked upwards, stunned.

What had just happened? Shen leaped over Po's head, covering the panda's vision with his train, before landing behind him, and placing a few kicks on Po's back. Po rotated on his toe, his arm swinging like a construction crane towards Shen's face, sending him on his side with astonishing force. Shen found himself on the ground for the third time today. He was astonished that a fat ball of lard could be so agile.

He stood to his feet, determined not to be beaten. He raised his train, then span it like a club, striking Po across his face. Shen took advantage of Po's temporary imbalance, and kicked towards the pandas face, using his weight to topple Po over onto his back. Po, however, turned as he fell, positioning himself so that Shen was underneath him. Shen found himself buried underneath several hundred pounds of fat. He couldn't breathe, let alone move.

Po stayed there for a few seconds, then rolled sideways releasing Shen. The peacock made no attempt to rise, he just lay there gasping.

"And that concludes our sparring session!" Po stated, then broke out into a chant, "I won! I won! And the crowd cheers! Panda! Panda! Panda!...oh come on Shen, no need to take it so hard..."

Shen lay on the ground, listening to Po talking. He had failed. He had been beaten again...and that panda kept trying to console him! Shen closed his eyes. The memory that was forced upon him was too strong, too strong...

_"You gotta let go of the past Shen, cos' it just doesn't matter..."_

How can one let go of the past, when the past is all that he sees?

_ "The only thing that matters is the decisions you make right now!"_

What happens now is the past tomorrow. I cannot make decisions based on the moment, as the future is fickle. I can do nothing...

Failure was his constant companion. Shen had grown sure that whatever he did would eventually fail...what was one more failure?

Old emotions boiled within him. He was back on that boat, with that stupid panda not even granting him the mercy of a quick death in combat, but trying to force him into submission, to live just long enough for the humiliating execution. He was once more beaten, once more helpless before that stupid panda. He was finished, done...

The least he could do was bring that panda down with him...

Anger raged against depression, a storm boiling within Shen's veins. He would not lose again, never again! But he had already lost...

"Shen?" Po's voice broke him out of his reverie.

Shen turned his head, slowly, wearily, and locked eyes with Po.

And Po felt fear. The expression his eyes portrayed was terrifing, of roiling turmoil and anguish, blended jaggedly with hate and insanity. If Po ever had any doubts about Shen changing, it was erased now. The expression was the same as it had been on the ship, infinitely different from the expression he had wore the entire time after his rescue.

"Shen?" he asked again.

"Why can't you leave me alone, panda?!" Shen retorted.

"Well I was just-"

"You never could leave well enough alone! YOU had to destroy me, and EVERYTHING I ever worked, toiled, BLED for!" Shen's eyes were bulging, and his breath was coming in rags.

"Shen! Calm down!" Po pleaded, "There's no need for-"

"What would you know about calming down? What would you know about ANYTHING! You have never been the one despised, the one feared, the one HATED! You...you should just..."

"All those things happened because of the choices you made!" Po exclaimed! "It was by your choice that-"

"I HAD NO CHOICE!" Shen roared, "You would not know! You will NEVER know how it feels to be CURSED with always making the wrong choices! Whatever choice I make ends in my failure, my demise, my eventual DEATH!" Shen stopped his tirade, and looked down.

"My seeds are dead, my destiny stolen, and my choices sour. Whatever I do leads to demise."

"That's not true, Shen." Po said. "It may seem like that whatever you do leads to sorrow, but in the end, it all comes down to you."

"That is what everyone says..." Shen whispered. Then he looked back up at Po, with terrible fire in his eyes, "It all...comes down...to me? Then I...then I...THEN I REMOVE A TERRIBLE SCOURGE FROM MY LIFE!"

He leaped to his feet, pivoting on his wings, and striking Po in the face with all his strength. Po, caught off guard, was flung backward, thumping hard onto the ground. Po rolled to his feet, with some effort.

"Hey! What was that-" Po's eyes widened, and he flung himself sideways to avoid what Shen had just thrown at him.

Shen stood wild, eyes raging, almost as deadly as the four long silver blades that had appeared from seemingly out of nowhere in his wings.

Po leapt backwards as Shen jumped into the air and span, flinging three blades at Po's chest with deadly accuracy. Only Po's quick reflexes saved him from being skewered.

The blades thudded into the ground, as Shen dropped back down, and span left, keeping his head lowered, then leaped straight at Po, clutching the last blade. Po threw himself to the ground, avoiding the deadly blade, but catching Shen's taloned feet across his back.

He rolled along the ground, dodging Shen's repeated stabs at his belly.

"Shen! Have you gone mad!?" Po exclaimed, getting to his feet as fast as he was able. Shen swept sideways, retrieving the blades from the ground. He flung one at Po's eye with lightning speed. Po had nowhere to dodge, he raised his hand in front of his face to protect it... And felt something silvery slide between his fingers. He opened his eyes, and saw that he had caught the blade!

He looked at it, and squealed, "AWESOME!" Then he flipped upwards, landing behind Shen, and punching towards his back, hoping to knock him down. However, Shen backflipped, turning around in midair, and flinging two more blades at Po. Po used the blade he had caught to deflect the two others, before leaping upwards towards Shen, still in the air. Shen flapped his wings, and Po went underneath him.

While Po was still absorbing the force of the landing, he dived on top of him, pinning Po to the ground. Po twisted, and could just see Shen, standing on his back, with a knife pointed at the back of his neck.

Shen gasped, and stopped himself. Sliding the knife back into his robe, he climbed off Po's back, horrified with himself. He had nearly killed Po!

Po flung Shen away, and leapt to his feet, waiting for Shen to make the next move. Shen just lay on the ground.

"S-Shen...?" Po asked hesitatingly.

"L-Leave me alone..." Shen moaned, "I'm...a monster. I cannot control myself."

Po gasped, and placed his hands on his knees, catching his breath. After a while, he put out him palm, and made beckoning motions with it. Shen grudgingly blacked his knives in the panda's hands.

"You're not a monster, Shen." Po frowned, "Your just a guy with anger management issues, who wants to kill me...man, that sounds like a description of Hundun..."

"Who?" Shen asked.

"You wouldn't get it. He was this guy who hated me for...come to think of it, I'm not sure what he hated ME for, but he vowed revenge on me for him losing his job. I taught him my weakness, and he tried to defeat me with it...perhaps I shouldn't be teaching you..."

Shen smiled wryly. "Sounds just like me!" Then he frowned, "You shouldn't be around me. I'll never change... Panda, I'll never change."

"Everyone can change, Shen. Anyone can change, with work-"

"NO-ONE CAN CHANGE!" Shen shouted, then calmed himself, "No amount of work can ever change who you really are! You are always you...nothing will ever change that."

"You know what, Shen?" Po asked, then answered his own question! "You are absolutely right. No amount of work can ever change someone from who they are."

His eyes gleamed. "That is your salvation, Shen. You, deep inside, are not who you think you are. You only perceive this as change, but really, it's brushing off the rust."

"A seed of good..." Shen whispered.

"What?" Po asked, confused.

"Something I heard in heaven..." Shen muttered, "Go on."

"Oh...ok.." Po stuttered, then continue,. "Everyone can change, Shen. You just need to realize that."

"That is easy for you to say, Po. You had everything that I really wanted. Acceptance, a whole family, parents who would have- did give their lives for you-"

"You had that one too!" Po pointed out.

"What?" Shen questioned, confused.

"Your parents did give their lives for you!"

"No, no they..." Shen began, then stopped himself.

It was true! He knew his parents had sent him away to protect him, he had known that since his conversation with the soothsayer on the balcony. His parents had died of broken hearts as a result.

When he had heard this, he had come so close to repenting, to turning away from his path, with the happy knowledge that he had achieved what he had been searching for for so long. But then, doubt set in. His parents could not have loved him, they exiled him. But then, why would they die? It made no sense.

But then, a sad realization dawned on him. His parents died of broken hearts...they did not love him, they sent him away...this could only mean a single thing. His parents had died, not from the sadness at sending the son they loved and were proud of away, but from the realization that the monster he had become was spawned by them, and their bitter disappointment in him led to their deaths.

Shen had been mad then, only focused on his ambitions, his conquest, his pain. But now, now he could see clearly. No one feels disappointment so bitterly as to die. His parents must have really loved him... His parents loved him...they sent him away...they loved him...they died.

A realization dawned upon him, this time, as clear and as bright as the new morning sun. They gave their lives for him! All this time, thinking he had to earn their love, their pride, when they gave their lives for him! And he hated them for it... In a way, this realization made it worse for Shen, but in the same way, made it better.

He was able to see, just for an instant, the full extent of his former insanity. Insanity was a dirty window, tainting a pure world with it's grime. It locked a person into a single way of looking at things, unable to relate to anyone.

Shen felt like, for the first time, he had opened the window and looked out at the world. An overwhelming feeling of peace came over him. Him. It had all been him all along. Everything he blamed on his parents, was all him.

How did this give him peace? Because what was HIM, he could change, fix, restore. Scars never heal... Unless they aren't there in the first place.

Shen gasped, breaking out of his trance. "You're right. You're absolutely right..."

"Uh oh.." Po exclaimed, taking a few steps back.

"No, really. They loved me, they LOVED me!" his face darkened, "And I took their lives from them." He saddened further, his face sinking, "No one ever manages to love me and keep their happiness...I hurt all that come near me."

"You know Shen, throwing knives at people does tend to make them hurt..." Po pointed out.

"No...you don't get it..." Shen sat down, frowning as he did so. "I'm bad luck, a bad omen. Everyone knows so, even my color says so...I'm not complaining about my color. It's just a warning sign to stay away from me..."

"Now that's just ridiculous!" Po exclaimed! "What do you think you are, some kind of walking disaster area?"

"No, then I would be like you," Shen replied.

Po blinked back the insult. "Yeah, I'm a walking disaster area...for EVIL!...and geese carrying water, but let's not talk about that part...and that's just because I'm clumsy! Not because I'm cursed!"

"You may not be cursed, but I am..." Shen muttered.

"No, you're not!" Po exclaimed.

"Really?" Shen glared, then continued, "Let's see, there was that bunny-girl, Sariah, I think...she was murdered in her sleep the night after I met her..."

"Eeesh..." Po winced.

"...then there was that antelope. Kuri Xian, he was called. Son of one of the palace antelope guards, and overwhelmingly honest. I met him in the courtyard, playing shuttlecock...we played...we became friends...then he went home. The next day I looked for him, but I couldn't find him. I didn't find out till later that he had been kidnapped, and murdered by his kidnappers."

"Ok, but-" Po tried to interject, but was silenced by Shen raising a wing.

"The most terrible of all...was this little gosling, Fang Xue. I bumped into him on the edge of the palace grounds. He had been trying to see what was inside the palace, so I let him in, and showed him the whole place. In return, he took me to his house, and introduced me to his eight brothers and sisters, and his mother and father. They treated me as equals, at least the children did, not as some alien, who could not relate to them."

Shen sighed, and blinked a few times, pushing back tears. "Better yet, because they all waddled, I was actually able to keep up with them. We played tag, and I was the best, but just by a small margin, not enough to be unfair. It was the first time I had ever played with someone physically, who did not have to slow down for me. It was the best day I had in ages..."

Po didn't like where he thought this was going, but he had to know. "W-What happened?" He asked tentatively.

"The next day..." Shen answered, closing his eyes, "The very next day, their house burned to the ground. Each and every one of them died in the fire."

He shook his head. "Fire...how ironic..."

"Oh..." Po began, brushing back a tear at Shen's story, "How so?"

"Fire...my destiny ties in with fire, don't you see?" Shen replied! "Fire made me great, and fire destroyed me. Fire killed my siblings..."

_"Shen had siblings?"_ Po thought.

"Fire killed the ducklings, fire killed Master Thundering Rhino, and the last thing I told Hao...you would know him as wolf boss...the last thing I told Hao was to fire...right before I killed him."

"Yeah, well the Wolf boss and Master Thundering Rhino, I wouldn't attribute to you being cursed," Po observed.

"No, it's worse. A curse I couldn't control, the other things...I could. I hurt everyone, intentionally or unintentionally. I hurt my parents...and the whole reason I did 'it' was to make them proud of me...I hurt my fiancé...or ex-fiancé, when her city's economy collapsed as a result of me killing the pandas..."

_"Shen had a fiancé too?"_ Po thought again. _"Man, this guy has a million sides..."_

"...not that I regret that. Serves her right for not thinking," Shen added fiercely, "And then there's you. You are trying to get close to me, and so is that snake-woman...even though she is trying decidedly less hard than you...you both should back off, before you get harmed. Do not befriend the flames, they hold no conscience for death."

"You forget, Shen," Po stated, "That you have already burned us. You already tried to kill me, what, five, six times? And yet here I am, still trying to help you!"

"Monsters don't deserve help. Demons don't want pity," Shen said hurtingly, his voice quieting, "Panda, you will probably never know what it is to take someone's life, a life who was innocent. I don't deserve pity."

"True...but you're no demon," Po replied back.

"I might as well be. I'm a murderer, a MURDERER! I am a horrible, horrible person..." Shen calmed, then looked Po directly in the eyes, and sighed, "Po, I want to admit a lie that I have told myself for far too long..."

He took a deep breath, and continued, "When I-I went, to massacre the pandas, I didn't do it out of fear, or to gain respect from my parents. Those all played a part, of course, but the main reason..." Shen broke his eye-contact, and looked down at the floor, wingtips fiddling with his sleeved nervously, "was out of anger. I killed an entire village of pandas, for no other reason than that I had an anger fit. And... and, the anger wasn't even directed at them, it was at my parents, and the soothsayer, for... for not trusting me,for avoiding me..."

Po listened carefully, suddenly remembering just who the person standing in front of him was. Lord Shen, the vicious murderer...

"And," Shen continued, "I killed, because I was angry, and I was in pain. I wanted someone else to feel my pain, and to see what I was capable of. Not because I wanted my parents to be proud of me, or because I wanted to defend myself, but because I had a tantrum. I am a horrible person, a monster, a demon..." Shen brought his gaze up, meeting the panda's green eyes, "What else does a demon do but kill? I do that too! Do you really think that if I repented, if I reformed, that everyone is just going to forget about that?"

"Well-..." Po began, then trailed off. There was nothing he could say. Shen had done horrible things, things that would probably never be forgiven. Honestly, Po hadn't even reached that point in his plan yet.

"That's what I thought " Shen said sadly.

Po sighed. Even if Shen did reform completely, chances were that people would still never forgive him for his crimes. But really, who cares? Shen did not seek the forgiveness of the world, but to forgive himself. It was an effort to change his inside, not his outside.

"Shen, even if no one at all ever forgives you, what difference does that make? When you die, then what you do now will seem vitally important."

"It would be nice to be able to take a walk, or go to town once in a while though..." Shen muttered.

"You know Shen, your attitude is your worst enemy right now. You have to get rid of it."

Shen said nothing for a while, then sighed, "Your right, pan- Po. I will try and be more...positive...and probably fail."

"Shen!"

"Sorry, sorry!" Shen grinned slightly.

"Wait, was that a joke?" Po asked, "You made a joke? I must be going insane...either that or you are!"

Shen whirled, and fixed Po with a look of pure terror. "I AM NOT GOING INSANE!" He thundered in Po's face.

Po was taken aback by Shen's sudden flaring. "Well I-"

"Never, NEVER make jokes about that! You wouldn't understand how terrible it is...how terrible it is to have your mind removed, to have you rooted out and replaced with...something else!" Shen gasped, "You...you would never understand what it is to be insane, to be a prisoner in your own body, your mind trapped in a corner, watching helplessly as your body and brain commit terrible, unspeakable crimes...to have you switched off, and someone else take over..."

Shen shook his head slowly. "And the worst part is, it was still me. All throughout my insanity, I could have switched it off, stopped myself, forced my mind back into control, but I did not. I let it rule me, let it make all my decisions...and look where that got me."

Shen looked back up at Po, with angry fire burning in them. "Never, NEVER make light of it."

"Whoa..." Po breathed, wiping his forehead, "So...you're afraid of going insane again?

" "W-what? I never said anything of the sort!" Shen screeched, mentally facepalming. He had just given away another weakness.

"That's so AWESOME! You have a fear!"

Shen rolled his eyes. Stupid panda... "It's not a fear, it's a dislike. Not the same thing."

"Don't worry Shen, it's alright to be afraid. If no one was ever afraid, well, then no one could ever be brave!"

"Huh?" Shen raised an eyebrow, then understood. Courage was not the lack of fear, but the defeating of it.

"Well I..." Shen began, then trailed off! "You know something, pand-...Po?"

"What?" Po asked.

"I'm beginning to believe that you might be quite a bit smarter than you let on."

"Really?" Po asked incredulously, "A compliment now? You are going...you are making progress, Shen!"

Shen allowed himself a small smile. "Thank you."

"Welcome!" Po then switched subjects. "Now, about those Kung Fu lessons..."

* * *

_Author's note: WOOOT! This story is now the fifth most-reviewed Shen story! Although I think that's mostly because I put out loads of chapters, the number is still impressive. _

_Also, enjoy this chapter! _

_Shen gasped, breaking out of his trance. "You're right. You're absolutely right..."_

_"Uh oh.." Po exclaimed, taking a few steps back._

_That, I think, is one of my better lines. And now, to answer a few questions:_

_To guest: thank you for your review, I hope to be seeing more of you, and here's an update for you._

_There weren't many questions, so, not many answers. Thanks for reading, double-thanks for the reviews!_


	31. Tension

Chapter Thirty-Four

Scurrying round the corner, the small creature nearly tripped over himself in his eagerness to tell Aang the news.

"Lord Aang, Lord Aang!" The little bat looked around, confused. Where was he? He usually was right here...

A scratching sound behind him distracted him, and he whirled, blades at the ready. Another bat stood there. The little bat sighed with relief.

"Oh, Ghan, it's just you..."

"Who did ya' think it was, ya' little pipsqueak?" Ghan replied.

"I don't know...there's been all these attacks recently...somethings brewing, I can feel it in my bones."

"Ya' always were a little paranoid, Shuai." Ghan shook his head, then asked, "Where were ya' off to in such a hurry?"

"I was searching for Lord Aang!" Shuai drew himself up, "I have important news to tell him."

"Oh yeah?" Ghan asked, immediately curious, "What is it?"

Shuai seemed doubtful. "I'm not sure I should tell you. I was supposed to tell Lord Aang..."

"Come in, Shuai! How long have we been friends?"

Shuai still didn't seem convinced, so Ghan tried a different tactic. "If it's important, I'll find out about it sooner or later anyway. Why don't ya' save me the suspense, and tell me the news?" "

Well, it's your own fault for being so curious..." Shuai hesitated a moment, then gave in. "Alright...Shen has mined enough metal for the smelting process to begin. The smelting areas are already being constructed!"

Ghan cursed, "That's awful...just awful!"

Shuai was taken aback. "Awful? But why? Don't you want us to rule the China?"

"Of course I do-"

"Then these cannons are the answer to that problem! Don't you see? All the work, all the danger of close-combat fighting is nullified! It will be easy!"

Ghan answered quickly. "That's not the problem. Heaven knows that this cave is getting a little crowded, I could use a bigger house and all, but...but what about Shen?"

"W-what about him?" Shuai asked uncertainly.

Ghan looked around nervously, then answered. "The closer that bird gets to finishing the cannons, the closer he gets to death. Do ya' really think Aang-"

"Lord Aang!" Shuai corrected.

"Whatever. Do ya' really think that Lord Aang's just going to...let him leave when the cannons are finished? For that matter, do ya' really think that Shen would want to leave?"

"That is Lord Aang's plan!" Shuai answered back, "It is for the best interests of us bats... Cruelty now is the only way to assure peace in the future."

"Look Shuai," Ghan said, gripping the bat's shoulders, "I know that ya' think ya' know everything, but ya' don't! I have known Aang for thirty years, he would never have been where he is now without me, and how does he treat me? Like garbage! Not a single token of appreciation, unless you count continuing my labors as General of the armies as thanks..."

"You cannot speak that way of glorious Lord Aang!" Shuai said, horrified! "I am sure, that once we rule China, you will be given your reward."

Ghan shook his head. "Then a await that day with incredulous anticipation." He then went back to the subject.

"Besides, who do ya' like working under, Aang or Shen? Shen at least gave us some appreciation for our hard labors..."

Shuai's eyes widened in horror. "That is rebellious talk! I have to-"

"Calm down, calm down!" Ghan's grip on Shuai's shoulders tightened, and Shuai winced. Ghan was much stronger than he was.

"I was only asking a question. Besides, that rig Shen made is always failing, and when Aang blames us, Shen goes and takes it for us. He's risking himself by doing that. Aang has done many plans in the last two years, but if they succeed, what thanks to we get? None! And if they fail...all the blame is laid on us! Not once has he ever realized that there was a problem with his plans..."

Ghan noticed Shuai's frightened expression, and loosened his grip.

Shuai gasped in relief. "We are bats. Aang is our messiah, our leader! He would never steer us wrong! Besides, we are a noble species! It would never do to have a common bird leading us!"

Ghan put on a sympathetic face. "Don't get me wrong, I am on Aang's side. More than that, I'm probably the only one in this whole cave who would qualify as his 'friend'."

Shuai seemed to calm down somewhat. "Anyway, do you know where Lord Aang is? I need to tell him the news."

"Don't mention this little conversation we had, Shuai," Ghan warned.

"And you say I'm paranoid?" Shuai grinned, "But do you know where he is?"

"He's in the incense room, you know where that is." Ghan informed him.

"You could have told me sooner... Thanks!"

Ghan watched Shuai fly off, heading down one of the many winding passages in the cave. "Aang...he better watch himself."

* * *

Aang hung from the ceiling, alone. Far below him, an enormous statue of a dragon reached it's fiery claws towards the roof of the cave, as if it was struggling to get out of the pit it was placed in. Flames licked and churned around and below it, and a thick, heavy smoke drifted lazily upwards, filled with the somewhat sickening smell of incense. The clouds of smoke floated around Aang, and he breathed it with relish.

The bats are odd creatures, their traditions and cultures would seem barbaric to most creatures. They believe themselves to be descended from dragons, being the only creatures to keep the dragon's wings. As such, they believe that it is possible for the spirit of a dragon to return, and posses them, giving them almost god-like abilities.

This is what Aang was doing now; by breathing in this asphyxiating smoke, he was allowing the spirit of the dragon to enter him.

"Long, Long, Long chengwei yige yu wom" he chanted, slowly and somberly. The fire under the stone dragon flared and roared. "Long, Long, Long chengwei yige yu wo," Aang said again, "Ge wo ni de liliang."

He repeated the two phrases over and over, as the fumes from the smoke put him into a state of almost drunkenness.

The sound of flapping wings entered the cave, but failed to rouse Aang from his stupor. "Lord Aang?" A bat voice called.

"chengwei yige yu wo." Aang chanted.

The bat shuddered. He hated it when Aang got like this. "I have come from the mines with a report, Lord Aang!"

"Ge wo ni de liliang!" Was all Aang said.

Shuai couldn't tell if Aang was listening, but he couldn't take a chance. Aang was very particular about missed messages.

"The report is this: that we have mined sufficient amounts of metal to begin building the first weapon, and are hard at work constructing the smelting areas. End of message."

"Ge wo ni de liliang," Aang muttered.

"Aang?" Shuai asked hesitatingly, "Can you hear me?"

"Long, Long, Long chengwei yige yu wo," Aang chanted again, taking another deep breath of smoke filled air.

Shuai coughed. The air in here was almost unbreathable, he couldn't help but wonder how Aang managed to do it. "If you can hear me, give me a sign..."

WHIIZZZ!

Shuai turned. And inch from his head, a long, curved blade stuck from the wall.

"Good enough!" Shuai exclaimed, scrambling to leave.

"Long, Long, Long chengwei yige yu wo!" Aang mumbled, almost dozing off into sleep. It was time for him to leave as well. Falling asleep in here was fatal. More than one bat had been lost in this room. Prolonged exposure to the fumes was deadly.

A few minutes later, Aang emerged from the cavern, smoking and intoxicated.

"L-Lord Aang!" A bat called nervously.

"Yeeeaaasss?" Aang answered, clicking his wing-fingers together.

The bat shuddered. Talking to someone while the dragon-spirit (drunkenness) was active inside them was dangerous; it was much easier for the person to become irate, and Aang had never been too good at controlling his temper anyway.

"T-The reports from the nearby villages and areas have returned."

Aang slowly turned his head towards the bat, wobbling a little, and put a creepy smile on his face.

"Sssttaate the reporrrtttsss."

The bat took a deep breath, and began, "Nyanlou: nothing to report. Xingfu:- nothing to report. South Cloud: Master Eagle fought off the attacking army of ants almost single-handedly-..."

"Birds, always showing off..." Aang mumbled.

"...Western Pearl: Nothing to report. Pingzhow: Zing has taken over, and is now in full control of the village. The village has become a rats nest. Valley of peace: Dragon Warrior and Master Viper have returned from Gongmen late. Unconfirmed reports say Shen was with them, but that has not yet been proved."

"Don't like Viper...don't like snakes!" Aang staggered, and sat down.

The bat droned on and on. The amount of cities the bats were spying on was shocking. Aang drunkenly listened to it all, then dismissed the bat. He tried to think. Shen had... destroyed an army of ants with the Dragon Warrior? How was that possible? He could think of. only..one...action...

Aang suddenly and unexpectedly dropped off into a deep and forgetful sleep.

* * *

"Pull harder! Harder!"

The construction of the smelting areas was already underway, and the unmistakable sound of tightening ropes and fastening of wheels echoed throughout the chamber.

Shen watched the work from his crows nest near the ceiling, with a kind of odd glee on his face. It was all so familiar to him, the ropes, the shouting, even the lighting.

But one thing was different. This cave crackled with tension, and not just that of the ropes. Whenever Shen gave an order, there was always that short pause in which the bat would consider

the order, checking for rebellious intent. He could not go anywhere without suspicious stares, or grateful glares.

It seemed bats had an unspoken code; protect me, and your a friend. Shen had noticed this from the first. Bianfu, the little bat he had saved from Aang's rage, clung to him like wet paper. He trusted Shen, as did some others. And the number was growing.

"Pull that rope! No, that one!" He shouted out.

"Bossy bird..." The bat mumbled.

That was one of the things that were worrying Shen. The bats hated birds. He didn't know why...

Turning to Bianfu, he asked him. "Why do your kind hold such a hate for mine? What caused it?"

Bianfu seemed to consider the question a while, thinking how best to answer. "An old tradition, of ours sir." Bianfu said at last.

"Enlighten me, then. Tell me the tales of your kind."

Bianfu responded readily. "We, the noble race of bats,..." He began, as if speaking a practiced speech, "...Are desendents of the great dragons. We were born during an argument between Fenghuang and Long, as each claimed to be masters of the air. The Fenghuang reached out, her claws tearing Long's back, causing a single scale to drop off. The scale fell to the mortal realms, where it became the first bat, driven to carry on the battle against the children of Fenghuang for supremacy in the skies."

Shen blinked. He had never heard such a perversion of the tale... "You know, Bianfu, where I come from, they tell a different tale."

Bianfu looked up warily. "What do they tell?"

"That Fenghuang and Long were not rivals, but partners, each playing an important role to keep balance. When together, symmetry and order rule, but separated, only demise and chaos can exist. Each total opposites to the other, covering each other's holes and filling in their weaknesses, to create the perfect unity. The Yin and the Yang."

Bianfu seemed to consider this. "Partners? Not rivals?"

Shen nodded. "But how do we know which story is true?" Bianfu questioned.

"You can never know for certain. You can only pick one, and try to live it!" Shen looked out over the cave in front of him. The sounds were intensifying. Shen had nearly all the bats in here, it was a lot harder to construct than it was to mine. The bats worked fast, too fast... So far there had been no "accidents" but both Shen and the bats were on heavy alert.

Who could blame them? Something crashing down here could be fatal.

Shen was getting nervous, much as he hated to admit it. The bats were progressing fast, and he still had not made much headway on his plan. If he didn't hurry things up, he was going to be ripped to shreds as soon as the first cannon was made.

A touch on his wing caused him to look down. Bianfu stood there.

"Yes?" Shen asked.

"I like your version of the story better." He said.

Shen breathed a sigh of relief. That was just what he needed right now.

Confidence.

* * *

_Author's note: Here is another shortie, but I like this chapter. It explores some of the cultures and customs of the bat-races, and also descripts some of the tension between the bats and Shen._

_Now, to answer some questions!_

_To Woodpecker: yes, I did put an avengers reference in there, and thanks for the review, I hope to see more of you!_

_To RobinRobert: Keep in mind, that up till this point, Shen considered Po to be completely brainless. To find out that he was actually quite smart must have been a shock to him, hence the quote. And, Shen isn't all that smart when it comes to common sense either. (Scenario, Po happens to be in the Tower of Sacred Flame, Shen's response? "Bring the place down!) and as for the phrasing, that happens to just be Shen's manner of speech. Thanks for the review and critique though, I really appreciate it!_


	32. To train a peacock

Chapter Thirty-Five

"Let's go over this again. Your footwork, that's fine. In fact-"

"It's one of the best you have seen. Really, can we just get this over with?" Shen yawned.

"Your patience levels are appalling, though. You need to work on that," Po added.

"Fenghuang herself would grow impatient with all this useless blabbering!" Shen hissed back, "Let's just get to the training, and skip all this!""

Also, I think anger management training is in order," Po said to himself. He took a few steps back, and looked at Shen, "Alright, go through your routine again."

Shen shook his head. "I have done this a thousand times! Why do I need to do it again?"

Po checked his list. "Belly in, feet straight, head erect...-"

Shen facepalmed. "I know all this, panda! I do have some training, after all!"

Po grabbed a bamboo pole, and made a finger mustache. "That, peacock," he said, in a voice which told Shen he was imitating someone, "Is not the point. You must do as I tell you, or success, will remain out of your grasp."

Viper giggled. She had been watching Po's 'training' and she had to admit, it was quite amusing.

"Who is that supposed to be?" Shen demanded.

"Oh, you wouldn't understand," Po returned, then pointed the bamboo pole at Shen, "The routine, peacock. You are wasting time."

This earned another round of giggling from Viper, to the extent that she nearly fell off her rock.

Shen sighed, and shook his head.

"Very well. Here I go again..."

He slowly moved into his Ca Li Fo stance, and moved into a choreographed set of stances, moving from stance to stance with fluidity. He started out slow, but them moved faster and faster, until he almost looked like a red-and-white helicopter, spinning and kicking and ducking.

He finished the routine with a kick upwards, flattening himself against the ground and springing up into the air in the blink of an eye. He span around three times in the air, then landed back in his stance. He stood still for a few seconds, then stood up and bowed.

"That was AWESOME!" Po exclaimed, applauding.

"Yes, awesome, but..." Shen said pointedly, "How many more times do I have to do this?"

Po checked his notes, then looked up at Shen.

"Don't worry, I have gathered enough."

He pulled out his list. "Now for your weaknesses that I could see..."

"Again." Shen pointed out.

"Not the point. Ok, number one. I noticed that you don't really use your wings much in your combat."

"Not in unarmed combat," Shen informed him, "peafowl wings are not meant for bashing or clawing. That is why I use the blades in my wings, or my lance."

"Well, in unarmed combat, your wings are just dangling there, useless. That is a big, big weakness." Po then proceeded to explain, "When you are fighting without weapons, most people have four attack points, their arms and their legs. You have five potential attack points, the extra being your train. But since you don't use your wings, that number is reduced to three, thus making you an easier target."

Shen glared. "Tell that to me with a lance in my wings," He replied.

Po sighed, "You're missing the point. Anyway, we'll work on that. The other things, patience and anger management, I already know how to fix..." He turned to Viper, "Can you go get my fans?"

Viper deadpanned. "Your what?"

"You know, the paper fans I used on Hundun..."

"Oh..." Viper thought a while, then said finally, "Sorry Po, but you gave them to that lady-goat who had a crush on you."

Po frowned. "Oh yeah...Darn! Phhmm...Viper, do you have your parasol?"

Viper grinned. "Am I long and green? Of course I do! It's in Shen's sleeve."

Shen immediately checked the inside compartment on his sleeves. Sure enough, a small pink-and-white parasol lay folded up inside, where his knives would ordinarily go.

Taking it out and unfolding it, he tossed it to Po. "Take this 'thing' off my wings..."

Po caught it, and held it over his head. "Alright...let me see..."

Shen watched, as Po ambled all over the place, searching for something. He apparently found whatever he was looking for, as Shen saw him stoop downwards and pick up something. He expected that the panda would then return to him, but Po just kept wandering around. A few minutes later, Po finally straightened out, and returned to Shen.

Shen's eyebrows knotted in confusion as he saw what the panda carried. In his arms, Po carried a pile of medium sized, dirty rocks. What was he going to do with those?

Po set the pile of rocks on the ground, and picked out two. He put them on top of each other.

"Panda, I did not expect to be forced to watch you play with blocks!" Shen said angrily.

"Just hold on a sec, ok?" Po replied nonchalantly. He knocked the stack of rocks over, and picked two more out from the pile.

Finally, he seemed satisfied with his work, ending up with two rocks, one resting on the other, but only just. It seemed that the slightest touch would knock it over. Shen still failed to see the point of this.

He soon found out, as Po straightened up and took a step back.

"Alright Shen," He said, stretching out, "Hop on."

Shen blinked. "E-excuse me?" surely that panda couldn't mean for him to STAND on that pile of wobbly, dirty...

"I want you to stand on the pile of rocks!" Po answered.

So much for that... Shen's mind instantly started to protest. He could not ever... But then his body seemed to move without him willing it, and he found himself stepping onto the stack.

Not surprisingly, the stack of rocks slipped away underneath him, and he found himself on the ground, still trying to figure out what had happened. He heard Viper giggling distantly.

He snapped himself out, and glared at her.

"What are you staring at?" He stood up, and brushed himself off, "Anyone would have fallen...this is a ridiculous test! I refuse to continue with it."

Po sighed. "Ok Shen, I understand. I had a feeling it was going to be far to difficult for you..."

Shen knew full well that they were baiting him, but he couldn't resist arguing on that point.

"It is not too difficult for me, it is too demeaning. I refuse to wobble around on top of dirty piles of rocks."

Po made a wry smile. "Anger getting to 'ya, eh Shen?"

"What do you...ahhh, I see..." He smirked, "This is a patience test...well I still refuse to take it."

"Aaanndd...Shen fails the test!" Po exclaimed.

Shen looked at the panda in exasperation. "I did not 'fail it', I just refuse to take it. It's almost as ridiculous as you are."

Po looked hurt for a split-second, then checked his list. "Nope, see here...'failure to take evaluative measures is congruent to a failure of ability.'...whatever that means."

Shen gaped slightly. That panda's ability to take insults was astonishing, as if his inside was just as bouncy as his outside.

"Well, that's your problem," he said arily, clearing his head of his previous thoughts, "if you designed a test that is horrible, ridiculous, and just plain silly...then it's your problem."

Po walked forward, and placed the rocks back on top of each other.

"Alright Shen," He said, straightening out again, "Get back on the pile."

"No! I told you, I refuse to-"

"Get back on the pile."

Something in Po's voice drowned out all the complaints that amassed within Shen's head. A wave of what almost felt like fear washed over him, similar to when he was ordered to take a bath in his childhood, and the soothsayer's tone spoke of all the horrors that would befall him lest he choose to refuse. He began to remember why he hated pandas.

Grumbling, he stepped carefully onto the stack of wobbly rocks, and by some miracle, they remained stable. He felt himself starting to tip forward, so he compensated by leaning back.

Too much! The rocks tipped backwards, causing Shen to nearly fall, but he just managed to avert embarrassment by a sudden lean forward. The rocks stood stable, and Shen stood with them.

For a second, he believed that he had completed the test, that he had succeeded. But then Po walked towards him, and swung the parasol lightly at his back. Shen nearly lost balance; he was too busy recompensating with his weight to say anything to the panda. Wobbling precariously, he had almost regained his balance- when Po whacked him again with the parasol, sending him sprawling unceremonially to the ground.

Shen stood up, and brushed himself off, then looked angrily up at Po. "What was that for?!" He demanded, "You could have seriously injured me!"

Po whacked Shen's head with the parasol again as a response. "Ooh, that burns, doesn't it? Doesn't hurt, but it makes you mad! Feel the burn! It's anger!"

"Panda, what are you doing?" Shen questioned, confused.

"Getting you mad, mad as fire!"

"Well stop it, you-" Po interrupted Shen again with a whack on the head.

"WILL YOU STOP THAT!" Shen roared, "It is becoming extremely annoy- Ow!" As Po hit him with another light tap.

"Yeah! Anger!" Po whooped, "Feel the burn! Feel it!"

Shen was feeling it. He had just been humiliated, and this panda wasn't taking seriously. This was normally where he would pull out a blade and jam it towards Po's face, but Po had made double sure that Shen wasn't carrying any blades for today's training session.

Po, however, had made a mistake. Shen's rage unlike Hundun's, was not blind. Sure, he was not immune to the occasional fit of blind rage, his recent fight with Po and the scene on the wrecked ship proved that, but overall, his rage was an icy one. As opposed to a fiery fit, seeking to destroy an opponent with no thought to anything else,

Shen clicked into a state of mind, seeking the weakness of an adversary, with all the intent in the world to use it to bring the adversary down.

Shen watched as Po continued his ridiculous banter, waiting for an opportunity.

He didn't have to wait long. Po stooped down, and started to pummel Shen with his rear end.

Shen span on his toes, faster than Po could realize, and his train swiped the panda off his feet.

Po landed with a thump, the parasol flew upwards, and floated back down, going over his face. Shen stepped up to him.

"Feel the burn, panda?"

The rest of the session proved heavily unproductive. Shen was too good at everything. He exploited the slightest loophole in any of Po's patience building schemes. Po found himself having to learn more patience control than Shen was.

As for anger management, Shen could not tell any distinguishable difference in his temper, but that was the kind of thing that takes time.

The only thing any real progress was made was in Shen's unarmed combat. Po taught Shen how to use his wings to deliver stinging blows to an opponents eyes, which Shen promptly took advantage off against Po.

Viper kept an eye on the time. Each week, they were each given large amounts of 'self improvement time', which is what they were using to teach Shen. This certainly counted as 'self improving'...

Finally, it was time for them to return to the Jade palace before someone got suspicious. Taking their leave, Po and Viper left Shen alone.

Alone. He was always alone.

He cursed himself, himself and his stupid pessimist attitude. He desperately yearned closeness, but at the same time, he was afraid of it.

One would think that thirty years of exile would turn someone into a loner, not wanting any interaction with the outside.

He would never change. The panda was trying to change him, but would fail. No-one could change him but himself...

Perhaps it was time to take destiny into his own hands once more.

Perhaps it was time to stop relying on others to change him for him.

Perhaps it was time to really try to change himself.

"Perhaps I should stop perhapsing," Shen thought to himself.

He walked back to the tower, then, with a flying leap, flew up to the roof. He surveyed the small valley around him.

"Panda," He said out loud, "Try me again. I promise I will be more accepting."

He closed his eyes, and started to slowly sway back and forth, deep in thought.

Supposing he totally reformed, what then? What would he do, where would he go?

_"Even in exile, you are never alone..."_

Hao was wrong. He was still in his exile, in a way, and he was alone.

_"We're all in this together. Every last one of us."_

Sayeth the murdered to the murderer.

* * *

"Po, Viper!" Crane's voice was friendly, but his eyes spoke suspicion. He was not blind, both of them had been somewhat withdrawn from the rest of the group since their return from Gongmen city. Something had happened while they were there, and they hadn't told all of it.

"Hey, Crane!" Po exclaimed, "We were just, coming from...self improvements! Nothing suspicious!"

Crane blinked. "Um..."

Viper facepalmed. Po would never win a subtlety contest...fortunately, she would. "Hello Crane!" She smiled, "What have you been doing?"

Crane turned to Viper. "The usual...listen, are you guys all right? You have been acting...I don't know, strange lately."

Viper put on an innocent expression. "I don't know, I guess we are just tired...I don't even remember the briefing that Master Shifu gave us on what happened while we were gone..."

"Oh, you mean about the bats?" Crane asked.

"Yeah, that. Listen, could you fill me in?" Viper winced internally. She hated deceiving her friends, they were almost family.

But it was for a reason.

_"Shen, if you don't change, I will kill you myself,"_ She thought, _"I am making sacrifices for you. I hope your happy."_

Did Shen deserve this? No. But that was grace. Not to give what was deserved, but to see the future, and see the light.

"Well, sure, if you want me to..." Crane responded.

"Sure I want you to! Go ahead."

Crane filled her in on what had happened during her absence.

She made a signal to Po, and Po winked back.

_"Man, I have got to learn some stealth from her..."_ He thought.

"Hey! Po!" A voice rung out.

"Master Mantis!" Po exclaimed, "Are you doing something different with your hair? I like it!"

Mantis gave him a blank stare. "I don't have any hair, Po."

Po winced. "Oops..."

"Yeah, well anyway, what were you just doing? I helped Crane try to paint a picture...didn't work out."

"Well...I...kinda..." Po trailed off.

"Hey, is that a feather on your eyebrow?" Mantis questioned, suspiciously.

Po brushed his eye. Sure enough, a white down feather came off in his hand.

"Ehhh..." Po thought furiously, trying to come up with an excuse.

"I knew it!" Mantis said accusingly.

"You...did?" Po asked nervously, pursing his lips, "What do you...know?"

"I knew Crane was shedding!" Mantis exclaimed, "That guy is so in denial..."

"Yeah!" Po said, relieved. He had just felt the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. "Crane needs to learn to accept his coming ugliness..."

"That's what I said!" Mantis answered,

making downward swipes with his thingies. "But Crane won't. He refuses to believe that he's shedding."

"Yah..." Po said thoughtfully.

Mantis crawled off to talk to Viper. Apparently, the snake was a hit with the guys.

Po sighed. That had been close. An ominous thought occurred to him, like a thundering storm cloud. The Five would have to find out about Shen eventually...

He could do nothing about that, however, but pray that it all works out, and is death-free.

* * *

_Author's note: here, my very fine readers, is another short chapter! To all of you who read, thanks! To those who read and review, double thank you very much! _

_Anyway, Shen was a little grumpy with poor old Po, wasn't he?_

_To Woodpecker: thanks! And yes, Bianfu is going to be a second wolf boss, of a sort. There will be differences, though._

_To collieandshire: thanks for the review! Yes, I agree, the occasional slow chapter is good. But there are going to be quite a few chapters that will be quite slow after this, due to the time interval between events._

_To Shen's General: Yeah, Bats... Not dragons. (as I said on PM)_

_Anyway, to those who may be getting annoyed with these short chapters, hold on! Next chapter will be longer, much longer. Longer even than 'raining roses', so hold on for that._

_Read and Review, people, Read and Review._


	33. A mind fails

Chapter Thirty-Five

Several weeks had passed, and every week came with a milestone in Shen's physical and mental health. The first week, he had made a marked effort to be cheerful, even surprising Po. It had been humiliating, but Shen had gone to bed that night with something he had not felt in a long time: satisfaction. He felt he had accomplished something.

The second week, Po had taught Shen some basic deflecting moves, most of which, Shen found to his surprise, he remembered pretty well. All he had to do was clean off the rust. He also was taught the value of patience in combat; a mistimed deflection could result in serious injury, or even death. Shen grasped the concept remarkably well after he tried to deflect too early, and the rock Po had thrown at him struck him hard on the shoulder. He had blown his stack at that; Po had to teach him a whole new lesson on patience.

Five weeks later, Shen was becoming remarkably good at unarmed combat, almost beating Po in a spar. It turned out that Master Thundering Rhino had done a good job teaching him, Shen had just forgotten most of the teaching as he started concentrating on his blades and cannons.

Shen thought about the shining point (for him) in the whole thing. Two weeks ago, Po had given him a surprise...

The day was cool, and Po and Shen were engaged in a heated sparring session. Viper watched as referee, and to make sure neither animal lost control.

Po aimed several timed punches at Shen's head, followed up by an upwards kick. Shen pivoted back on his toes to avoid, then retaliated by catching Po's foot, holding it up, then pushing backwards at the same time as spinning his train at Po's other leg, successfully sending the panda sprawling on the floor.

Po rolled onto his belly, then leaped to his feet, his eyes searching for a weakness in Shen's stance.

Po had learned to never underestimate that train of Shen's, it had caused him much pain in the past. Shen could use it at longer range than his feet and wings, and one would be surprised at how powerful a whip from that train could be.

Po feinted left, then turned to the right at the last second, changing the angle of attack. His punch hit; Shen was sent skidding backwards, off balance from the force of the blow.

Po moved forward to follow up his attack, but Shen fanned his train, disappearing behind dozens of red and black eyes.

Po was unfazed by the display, however, he still stopped his attack. Trying to punch through that curtain without being able to see the other side was suicide.

Shen brought his train down in a spooning motion, attempting to swipe Po off his feet again. This time, however, Po was ready for it, and jumped up as the train passed underneath him, landing squarely on top of it.

Shen felt the weight, and groaned. Po was too heavy to yank away from...

Po walked up the train, and collapsed on top of Shen, pinning him. Shen tried to stay upright, but Po was too heavy...he was falling forward...he was going to lose...

Suddenly, Shen felt a weight being released off his train. Po, trying to stay above Shen, had stepped off Shen's train, thus enabling the peacock to move!

Shen twisted sideways, slipping out from underneath Po, and leaping away. Po, who had been leaning heavily on Shen, fell downwards again, landing on the ground. Shen took advantage, and flew to Po's back, one foot over each arm.

Po could not get the leverage he needed to stand, while Shen could remain in his position all day. Viper declared Shen the winner of the spar.

Shen stood off Po. He couldn't believe it! He had finally beat that panda in a hand-to-hand battle, for the very first time!

Po stood upwards, and turned to Shen. Shen, placing himself in the panda's position, expected to see anger, hurt, resentment, something! But Po's face showed only pride. Shen was puzzled...then Po did something that almost made Shen beam from rear to ear. He bowed. He bowed in respect to the fighter that had beaten him. Shen's chest nearly exploded with pride.

He had never grasped the concept of holding a respect for your enemy. All the same, having an opponent give a token of respect made him nearly ecstatic. Then, nerves set in. What was he supposed to do now?

Fortunately, Po noticed his awkwardness, and straightened up.

"Good job, Shen," He said, beaming.

"I-I don't understand..." Shen stuttered, confused, "How can you look so...so proud? I just beat you!"

Po scratched his head. "That's sort of the point, Shen. You couldn't beat me when we started this, now you can. It proves my worth as a teacher."

Shen muttered something under his breath. He liked being respected, it was something very, very few people did. Even his nanny, the soothsayer, did not respect him. She nurtured and coddled him, but she did not respect him. The two people that had were both dead, both killed by Shen himself. One by a blade, one by a cannon.

That familiar nagging voice returned to Shen's head. It spoke to him, telling him he was a murderer, and no one would ever forget that. He did not deserve respect.

He lowered his head. Then he raised it again, and looked at Po. "That was nothing. If I had a cannon, or even my lance..."

Po sighed, "You still think that Kung Fu is useless compared to a cannon?"

Shen smirked. "Of course!" He replied, "And I will continue to until you show me a move that can hold a candle to one of my cannons."

Po looked up, with a gleam in his eyes. "Dare accepted!" He exclaimed, "Now, where's a good target..."

He looked around until he spotted an enormous stalk of bamboo, about thirty feet away.

"That will do... Prepare to eat your words, Shen!"

Shen watched, as the panda got into a stance, then started to spin, faster than the eye could follow. He felt a breeze, but oddly enough, it felt like the air was being sucked towards Po, instead of being blown away. Suddenly, Po halted his spin, throwing his hand out towards the bamboo stalk. A bright green bolt flew from his hand at amazing speed, impacting the stalk, cutting it in two, and sending both halves flying in opposite directions, knocking down several more stalks in their paths.

Shen stared in amazed shock. A garbled message from his brain told him his mouth was hanging open, but he ignored it.

"W-what...how did you..." He stuttered, searching for the right words, "That's impossible! There's no way..."

Po smirked, for a second reminding Viper of Shen.

"The thundering wind hammer." Po stated, "It's one of the eight impossible moves."

Shen continued to gape. "But if it's impossible..."

"Oh, very few people can do them. Me and Fenghuang...the owl, not the phoenix," Po added, noticing Shen's confused expression, "Are the only ones ever to master that move."

Shen closed his beak. That was impossible! It was even called impossible! It defied all rationale!

"Mind over matter!" Po said nonchalantly.

Shen turned back to the panda, as if seeing him for the first time.

"Mind over matter? As I understand it, that requires someone with exceptional mental capacities... And I don't think you qualify."

Po sighed. "It's not really about how smart you are. I mean look, you're really smart, and you can't do that move..."

Shen's crest lifted unconsciously at the compliment. "I just never tried. I'm sure I could if I tried..."

Po's eyebrows knotted. "Really...?" He said, in a tone that told Shen he was about to be dared.

"I won't try, though." Shen added quickly, "I won't do all that spinning just to embarrass myself..."

"Do you mean to say...you couldn't?" Po asked, "Gee, you must be getting more humble! I thought I'd never see the day you admitted to not being able to do something!"

"Hooray, give me a good citizen's award!" Shen said sarcastically, "My cannons were still better. They could go much farther, and do much more damage on impact."

"But," Po interjected, "You don't need a huge, metal tube to do this!"

"But everyone could fire one of my cannons, and NOT everyone can fire a thundering wind slammer," Shen retorted.

"Hammer," Po corrected, "It's hammer."

Shen frowned. "Since when did you care if something was said exactly right, panda?

"Since always, peacock!"

"Somehow," Shen said with an irritated sigh, "Somehow, 'peacock' sounds noble coming out of every other mouth except yours."

"Well, I-"

"All right, that's enough!" Viper interrupted, "As referee, I end this argument!"

"But Viper!" Po whined, "I was gonna..."

"Yes?" Viper answered.

"I got nothing. So I just trailed off there."

"Umm..." Viper mumbled, "Im not sure how to answer that."

"You have nothing, so you just trail off," Shen suggested.

"Har Har, no one told me you were a comedian!" Viper replied, good naturedly.

"Um, it it just me, or are we joking around like friends?" Po asked.

An awkward silence suddenly ensued.

Po winced. "I so totally jinxed that..." he looked around nervously, trying to start the conversation again.

"So...congratulations on beating me, Shen..."

"Thanks," Shen said shortly. He wasn't helping. "I could have done better with my lance, though."

"Yeah," Po answered, "Yeah! Wait right here!" He then took off running, going through the cave.

"Well, we're going to be here a looong time..." Viper remarked, "Po is a little...short winded over long distances."

"So I noticed," Shen replied, "Next time I try to take China, I'll put my cannons on top of some stairs..."

Viper laughed...then stopped.

"Next...time? You are kidding, right?"

"Of course!" Shen replied, in an 'are-you-serious' kind of voice, "I don't have the man-power to rebuild my cannons, and what would be the point? I would have to spend what, another thirty years, rebuilding my cannons, then ruling China for the few last days of my life."

"Good choice!" Viper said, sighing in relief. Shen had let go of his ambitions, a great step in his redemption. Ambitions are powerful things, sometimes a great help, and sometimes a great evil. It was not the cannons that made Shen dangerous, or even his pain and insanity, it was his ambitions that channeled and directed it.

"Wow...you really are making progress, Shen!" She said cheerfully. Then she darkened. "I-I have to admit something..."

Shen looked down at her. "What?" He asked.

"When you said you wanted to change...I-I believed you, but...but I didn't ever trust you." She moped, and continued, "If it was up to me, I...I would have left you in that shack. Po... he convicted me, and persuaded me to allow him to let you come here, but I...I still was sure you would snap, that you would return to your old state, perhaps even kill Po..."

Shen instantly thought of his little 'tantrum' five weeks ago. Good thing Viper wasn't there then, she would have been verified in her belief.

"But...but after watching you," Viper continued, "I can see...you are so much calmer, so much...friendlier, than you were before. I can see you really are changing. I'm sorry for not trusting you...I promise to try and trust you more in the future." She looked up, and Shen could almost see tears in her eyes.

"Talk about emotional..." He thought.

"I see that I was wrong, and I...I ask for your forgiveness."

Shen gaped. Here was a true test of his reform. Never before had he ever forgiven anyone. Shen was the type of person to hold on to a grudge, to lock onto it until it consumed him with the fire for vengeance. But perhaps it was time to change that. Perhaps, while searching for forgiveness from the world, he could give some forgiveness in return.

"Perhapsing again!" He thought to himself angrily. He considered forgiving Viper. Most people would be angered by someone admitting to not trust them; Shen was relieved. He had found it highly disconcerting that Viper had blindly trusted him, when he had given her no reason to. Now he understood. He had wondered about her motive, now he had his answer: pity. She did not trust him, but she did pity him enough to hope that he was telling the truth. At last he had the motive he had been searching for, and he was glad.

Pity he was used to, kindness he was not.

He made his decision. "I forgive you."

Three little words, each said individually, but never together. They sounded so very strange, coming out of a mouth sorely unused to them, and yet, they felt so sweet...

Viper was pleasantly surprised. She hadn't really expected Shen to forgive her. This was further proof of Shen's mental and spiritual improvements, an improvement that she hadn't expected.

"Really?" She asked, "I didn't think... Wow...Po was right..."

"Come now, I knew you couldn't have trusted me," Shen replied, "Really, I would have never believed you if you tried to convince me that you did."

"Oh really?" Viper questioned, "Well, believe me now. I will try to trust you now, I will try my hardest..."

"You know, I've never forgiven anyone before..."

Viper smiled. "That's proof, Shen! Didn't it feel nice?"

"I don't know what you are referring to..." Shen stated flatly.

He swallowed, washing down the flat-out lie he had just told her. Shen's chest was currently filled with an annoyingly pleasant feeling, as if a knot, hard as stone and resilient as bone, had just effortlessly come undone, removing a tension within him he hadn't even realized was there. It was better to give than to receive, and that goes for forgiveness as well. He felt almost relaxed, a feeling he hadn't felt in years.

"It does feel...different, somehow... I can't explain it," He said.

"That, Shen," Viper answered him, "Is the feeling of redemption."

Shen sighed. "Emotionally significant statement duly noted," He said, "Where IS Po?"

"Patience, Shen!" Viper reprimanded, "Po will get here when he gets here!"

A few hours later, Po had returned to Heaven's pothole, heaving and puffing.

"I...I'm ba...I'm back!" He heaved over a short ridge, and collapsed on the ground. Viper helped him up.

"Thanks Viper! Where's Shen?"

"Behind you." Shen whispered in his ear.

"YAHHHH!" Po glared at Shen, "How did you get there?"

"You need to work on your skills of observation, Panda," He looked the panda over, "What have you got there?"

"Oh, this?" Po answered, gesturing to the long object that he held, wrapped in cloth.!"Why don't you open it and see?"

He handed the object to Shen, who took it and looked it over. It was longer than he was tall, but rather light for it's length. He started untying the string wrappings that held the whole thing together, but was unsuccessful.

Losing patience, he set the object down, and marched off.

Po sighed. "That guy really must work on his patience. He misses so much..."

He leaned over, and started to untie the knots, but was having no better luck than Shen.

"Move over, pand- Po."

Po turned his head. Shen was standing there, holding one of his throwing knives.

"Oh, Shen!" Po exclaimed, "I thought you were being all huffy and storming off..."

"No, I went to go and get one of these," He gestured to the knife, "Now hand me...that thing."

Po handed the object back to Shen.

Shen swiped his knife along the object's side, effortlessly cutting through the twine and cloth, a testament to the sharpness of Shen's knives.

The cloth fell away...and revealed an object that left Shen speechless.

In his wings, Shen held his lance!

"Where...how did you find this?" Shen asked stutteringly, finally recovering his voice.

"Oh, I had to help Master Ox clear out the harbor. I found it then, and thought it would make a nice souvenir." Po smirked a little. "Like your gift? I hope so because it's all you will get this year..."

Shen didn't reply. This lance meant a incredible amount to him, and it was showing. He was choking up... He was going to make a fool out of himself if he didn't do something.

Searching for an outlet for his emotions, he did what he always did when he had a lot on his mind and was holding his lance.

He suddenly, startlingly whirled into a series of motions, choreographed positions flowing into each other with all the explosive grace of his ancestor's invention of fireworks. It was meditation in a deadly form,

blended together with dancing at its deadliest. If there was ever a dance that spoke the words 'fire and wind' into your mind, this was it. Explosive and as deadly as fire, sudden and as flowing as the wind.

Each stance flew into the next with such amazing fluidity, it was almost impossible to tell where one started and another began.

There was no doubt about it: Shen was WAY better with his lance than he was unarmed.

Po watched the display in front of him with wide eyes. This was swordsmanship, seamed into Kung Fu almost perfectly. Po had always thought that swords and lances were a perversion of Kung Fu, now he could see how truly beautifully deadly it was. It was Shen's art, as much as snake style was Viper's. The shining blade on the end of the lance gleamed, moving in perfect synchronization with Shen's body, to the extent that the illusion that the lance was part of Shen formed irrepressibly in Po's mind.

Viper, on the other hand, was horrified. What was Po thinking! Giving Shen back his deadliest blade, just asking for... trouble.

"Some trust, Viper," She thought to herself angrily. She had just broken the promise she had made, only hours before...

"Wow!" Po gaped, "That was so totally AWESOME! You are so good with that thing! How long did you practice?"

Shen stopped his display, and looked up to Po. "It was given to me on my sixteenth birthday, so... thirty seven years."

"Aaaaooo..." Po's jaw dropped, "Thirty seve... Wow. Is there like, I don't know, a shorter way to learn?"

Shen's answer was the same as Tigress's had been. "No."

"Ok..." Po sighed disappointedly.

Shen noticed this, and gritted his beak. He considered something in his head, and decided on it.

"Look, pa-Po..." He said, closing his eyes, "If you wanted me to, I...I could teach you..."

"Really?" Po asked, a large grin spreading across his face, "Of course! Ok! I-I don't know what to say..."

"Don't cry," Shen hissed sternly, for a second reminding Po strongly of Master Shifu.

Viper sighed. Here she was, about to go and distrust Shen again, and then he goes and turns it around into another reason to trust him.

It was another verification of the old saying; "Most people are pretty decent, given half a chance."

Two hours later, it was clearly determined that Po had absolutely no talent with a lance. He did, however, show a surprising aptitude with throwing knives, so Shen decided to skip the lance and just concentrate on the knives.

Po attributed his skill with the knives to his years throwing tablecloths at his father's noodleshop; Shen attributed it to luck.

Shen soon found that teaching is the highest form of learning. He had taught himself how to throw knives, and he learned more in that first morning teaching Po that he had in thirty-five years of teaching himself.

* * *

Two weeks later, Shen thought about all this as he lay in bed, sunlight streaming happily through the cracked window. He reached out, and softly ran his wing along his lance, lying beside the pile of leaves he had gathered to make a nest.

That lance meant a great deal to him, he had been given it on his sixteenth birthday, based on a concept he designed, forged out of a rare ore that was incredibly hard, yet extremely light. Shen had worked a long time to get the metal for that blade, and was very proud of it, with good reason. It was an extremely lethal weapon, far surpassing ordinary guan daos in killing power. There was not another like it in the entire world. That panda had done him a huge favor by bringing it back to him, and he intended to repay that favor someday.

Shen got out of bed, and went through his usual routine of preening and brushing. Today, however, something felt...different.

Shen looked down, and to his horror, he saw that the floor was covered in white feathers. A few feathers normally fell out when he preened, but not this many!

He brushed one wing lightly, sure enough, several more feathers fell out. He slowly turned towards his train, dreading what he might see, but oddly fascinated.

He sighed in relief. His train seemed mostly intact... He touched it lightly, swinging it slowly back and forth, and to his great terror, he could feel that the plumes were only just holding there; the slightest movement could pull them out.

This could only mean one thing, something Shen greatly dreaded. He was shedding. For the next few weeks he would look something between a starving hedgehog and a half-plucked chicken. To someone like Shen, who valued his appearance extremely high, this was one of the most humiliating things possible.

He ran his wings along his face in exasperation, pondering what to do. The panda... Po, and that snake-woman (He refused to believe that her name was really Viper) were not due to come today, so that was not an issue. He could not have picked a more isolated place to spend his embarrassed misery.

But when Po and that snake...when they did come, they would see him, like...like this! He removed his wings from his face. A small crest-feather fell to the floor.

"Oh brilliant...that's just what I need...a full molt..." he thought to himself in misery. Full molts only happened once a year, but Shen hated them to the extent that he literally locked himself away from his wolves and plans when it happened during his exile.

Right now, all he could do was sit still and brood, occasionally scratching himself, as the whole thing was extremely itchy.

A breeze rushed through the room, and rustled the leaves of Shen's rose bush. Surprisingly, the rose Sao had given him had refused to die, instead growing out of the bowl it was placed in, and was now climbing up the wall of the room. When the breeze pushed through, it gave the illusion that the bush was laughing at him.

"What's so funny, never seen a bird in molt before?" Shen hissed at the plant, before realizing what he had just done.

"AAACK! I just talked to a plant!" he gasped at himself, and felt a wave of horror rush through him. "And now I am talking to myself! I am going insane again..."

He forced himself to take deep breaths, calming the waves of panic that were pushing through his body. "You are alright. You are alright... It's perfectly normal to talk to a plant, several people do that... You are not going insane! I AM NOT GOING INSANE!" he shook, shuddering in fear, "Did I mean to shout that? Of course I did, I am in control of my own body, aren't I?" He listened, and heard no response. The leaves on the rose bush rustled.

"Of course I am! Thank you for agreeing..." Shen stopped himself again, "That's just humor. Of course the plant didn't really agree with you, you just said that to be funny! Yeah, to be funny..." Shen spoke in a strained tone, not believing himself.

"I'm talking to myself in the second person, is that...is that normal?" he gasped, bringing his wing to his mouth, "No, of course it's not normal, no one in their right mind does that... But I'm..I'm not in my right mind...I'm alone..." he could feel tears coming to his eyes for no apparent reason. "I'm alone... And my mind is slipping, slipping, slipping away... Stop that, it doesn't help anything!"

His eyes bulged, and he turned back to the plant. "I AM NOT GOING INSANE! I'M NOT!" he gasped again, his breath shortening, "I'm not...I'm not! I am never going insane again! Never!"

Shen struggled to stop the string of emotions and words that flew through his mind and mouth, but nothing happened. He was in no control whatsoever...

He could feel shivers coming over him, slow and methodical at first, but increasing and magnifying in intensity. A feather flew out from his neck, and it seemed to fall in slow-motion, each curve making a hideous swishing sound, until it hit the ground with a terrible thud.

"S-someone... He-help me..." he quavered, his voice trembling. But no one answered. He was alone. "Nana? NANA! Where are you!?" he stuttered, realizing what he had just said. Of course she wasn't here, he knew that!

He turned to someone who perhaps could hear him. "Mama! M-mama... I need you!" he groaned, pushing his head underneath his wing. "Ma..mama! Please! Don't... don't leave me here! I needed you!"

There was no answer. Although the room was silent, the silence was terrifiyingly loud to Shen. Shadows seemed grotesque and twisted, and colors were skewed, and horribly bright. It was like looking at the world through a broken kaleidoscope.

He was in panic, panic at his approaching insanity, which he could feel crawling over him like a slimy blanket. The fear of insanity was driving him insane, which increased his fear. It was a vicious cycle.

Shen had encountered things like this before, but never alone. Now he was truly alone, no one to comfort him, no one to hold him...

"Alone... I am alone... I am always alone..." he muttered to himself, again and again, "I-I d-d-die..."

The trembling was becoming uncontrollable... The world blackened around him, and the room faded away, being replaced by nothing but darkness.

"You are not alone, little Shen," A singsong feminine voice floated out from the void, filling Shen with loathing.

A mist started to gather, seeming to be made out of light and darkness. Shen could hear violin music playing. Strange, those things had seemed so beautiful to him before, now they filled him with disgust.

"You are not alone, little Shen," The voice floated out at him again, "I'm here for you, just like always."

"I-I don't wan't you anymore, Nehsa!" Shen shouted at the mist.

The mist had gathered into a form, a peahen, white, with red eyes. "Yes you do, Shen. I am always here for you!"

"Go away! Leave me alone, leave me alone, Nehsa!" Shen hissed, "I don't want you here! I don't need you anymore!"

Nehsa stepped forward, putting her wings on Shen's shoulders. "I understand, Shen! Why do you shun me now? Have I not proved to be your friend?"

Shen closed his eyes. "You are a monster, Nehsa. Go away."

"How many times have you done this, Shen?" Nehsa asked, "Your parents. When they started loving you again, you asked me to leave, and I did. You said you had them now. But where are they? Gone. And where am I? Here, comforting you."

Shen said nothing, so Nehsa continued.

"Hao. When you met him, you said you no longer needed me. I understood, and I left you alone. But who's here now, when you need someone the most? Me." She paused, and pulled Shen's head upwards, looking into her eyes. "Most of all, Laeia. When you were engaged to her, you rejected me. You hurt me deeply. But I understood, and watched. I watched her reject you, like you mattered nothing to her. I came, and I comforted you again."

"You hurt me more," Shen replied, "Why can't you leave? My mind created you, why can't it destroy you?"

"Because, you are not in control of your mind! And you don't really want me to leave... You created me, after all, so long ago." she leaned downwards, and sat next to Shen. "Do you remember, Shen, so long ago? A small, lonely, five-year-old white peacock, without a friend in the world, having only one option. You created me then, and I have been your friend, same as always."

Shen remained blank. "You were created by my insanity, out of my insanity. You are my insanity! You are not my friend! I don't want to be insane!" he said flatly.

Nehsa looked hurt. "You don't want to be sane. If you were sane, I could not be here to comfort you, and you would be alone. You don't want to be alone, do you, Shen?"

"I am not alone anymore, Nehsa. I don't need you anymore."

Nehsa looked pained. "Shen, why do you keep falling into the trap of friendship that others snare you into? Who is it now?"

She looked so concerned for his well-being. Shen remembered forging her expressions in his mind, wanting someone to understand him, to be concerned for him. He had moulded her, and his mind had given her life. She had been there ever since.

At first, her companionship was delightful, a blissful escape for a troubled young peafowl. But, as he grew older, her companionship soured, becoming more and more an escape from reality into the roiling depths of insanity. Her advice always seemed pleasant, her words ever cheerful, reminding him more and more of the harshness of the world around him. She was still here now, still fulfilling the purpose he had created her for.

Now, she was abhorrent to him, as he saw her for what she was, the very avatar of his insanity that had plagued him for so long.

"The snake..." he mumbled.

"Viper? She's setting you up! Surely you can see that?"

"She said she trusted me..." Shen lowered his head.

Nehsa sighed. "So did Laeia. Just wait till you do something wrong, and she will be gone. Just like that."

"What about the panda, Po?" Shen asked.

"He's too stupid to know any better."

"Why do you do this? I want you to go! Leave me!"

"Come now Shen, I'm only telling you what you already know..."

"I hate you, I hate you!" Shen exclaimed, "Go away! Leave me alone!"

"Shen, Shen!" Nehsa exclaimed, with tears in her eyes, "How could you hate me? Me, who has only ever been here to comfort you! I came, to help you! You were so afraid, I could not let my friend be so pained... I couldn't!"

Shen sighed. "Your 'comforts' are sour. I see it now, that every time I turned to you for comfort, I was turning to insanity. Like an alcoholic turns to his wine, I was using you, and the insanity you represented, to escape from my problems. That is not the way."

He looked at Nehsa, who looked like the very picture of a concerned friend, being lashed at in the pain of a comrade in turmoil.

"Go away, Nehsa! Leave!"

Nehsa burst into tears. "Shen... I-I...only wanted to help you..." she stood up, and brushed herself off, "I-I..I'll leave...but I only wanted to help you. I'm sorry...I'm sorry that you can't see it. But...I understand, your hurting, and-and when I try to help, it only makes things worse for you... I'm sorry." she leaned down again.

"I love you, Shen. And I'm always here for you, remember that."

"You are not real. And your love is just as fake as your body."

Even as Shen said these words, he felt a pang of guilt. Nehsa was only doing what he had told her to, when he created her. And even though he knew she was not real, she had been his closest friend for many years. Her emotions were strong, almost real, and he felt guilty for so cruelly rejecting her.

But she was evil. He had no other choice.

"Goodbye Shen," Nehsa said sadly, kissing him on the top of his head, "I'm sorry."

Violin music played, and Nehsa faded away in a puff of light and darkness.

Shen found himself sitting on the floor, in a pile of feathers. He was trembling violently, and couldn't remember where he was. He looked up, and saw white roses over his head. He felt upwards with a trembling wing,

grasping onto the rim of the bed, and pulling himself up onto it. He was cold, so cold...he huddled into the straw, and wrapped his wings around himself. Right now, he looked a lot less like a genocidal warlord and a lot more like a frightened child.

Shen was terrified. He was alone, and he was scared. He had just gone temporarily stark, raving mad, and it was the worst feeling he had ever felt in his life. But there was no one to comfort him, no one for him to turn to. He was completely alone.

* * *

"Oh darn, I forgot my parasol..."

"Do you remember where you put it?" a concerned Crane asked, "I could fly and get it for you..."

"No, that's ok," Viper replied, "You wouldn't know where it is. I'll go and get it."

She slithered away, heading towards Heaven's pothole. It might seem like a long way to go to get a parasol, but Viper was having a day off, she had caught a cold, and had been quarantined. None of the other members of the Furious five had the time to talk with her, so she was looking forward to seeing Shen.

When she reached Heaven's pothole, the first thing she noticed was that Shen wasn't outside. She figured, (quite correctly) that Shen was inside the tower.

She slithered up the stairs, and, before she was even half-way up, she became aware of vibrations running through the floors. Viper could hear what almost sounded like...sobbing, through her inner ear.

She hurried up the stairs faster, stopping outside the door.

"Shen?" She asked tentatively.

No answer.

"Shen, are you in there?" There was still not the slightest vibration from inside the room.

She had enough, and was starting to get worried. She pushed open the door, and stopped cold.

The room was littered with white feathers, as if someone had taken great handfuls of them and tossed them around. She could see the occasional train feather lying around, and that made her worried. Shen - train feather = very angry bird.

But where was Shen? Her eyes scanned the room, until she caught sight of him, huddled on the nest, eyes closed. She just stared. He looked AWFUL! There were rings under his eyes, he was trembling uncontrollably, and he was curled up in a fetal position. His normally immaculate feathers were patchy and scruffy, and most worryingly, his body was rythmaticaly racked with sobs.

"Shen...what happened in here?"

Shen refused to answer, or even acknowledge her presence.

She slithered up next to the bed, and asked the same question again, still failing to get a response. She crawled up onto the bed with him, and touched his shoulder.

The response was immediate. Shen's eyes flew open, darting around the room frantically, before locking onto Viper. He started to heave, and the expression in his face spoke volumes. It poured out all the fear in the world, wrapped in all the loneliness and sorrow.

Viper's heart instantly went out to him, she always found herself being a sucker for someone in distress.

"Shen?" she asked for the fifth time.

"D-d-don't l-l-leave..." Shen stuttered, "Don't... I-I..." He stopped, "Don't ever betray me... Don't ever... Don't ever..."

Viper stared. What was he talking about?

"P-p-promise..." Shen quavered.

"Shen, what happened?" she asked.

"Promise," he said again.

"Promise what?" Viper asked, confused.

"That you won't betray me... That you won't just set me up, play my emotions and drop me, like everyone else... That I can trust you."

Viper watched his eyes. They were in intense trauma, and spoke of an extremely harrowing experience.

"Of course I won't betray you." Viper said soothingly, "Of course I'm not setting you up. I'm not that mean..."

"P-promise?" Shen asked, childlike.

"I promise," Viper replied, without a second thought, "Now, tell me what happened here."

Shen explained the whole thing. Explaining seemed to make him feel better, his breathing slowed, and the trembling stopped.

Viper stroked the top of his head. She understood. Being a snake, she also went through periodic sheddings and molts, and she knew that while one's body is concentrating on creating new feathers or scales, it leaves the mind open to intense dreams and hallucinations. She had had some in her time, but never as intense as Shen's.

Shen slowly nodded off to sleep, embracing the peace that was offered him, even if for such a short time.

Viper watched the sleeping peacock, and pondered. He obviously had mental problems... An imaginary friend who refuses to leave? That's one she's never heard before. But that made him interesting, gave him hope. She couldn't get his eyes out of her mind, pleading for... for someone! He was alone in this tower, and the solitude was both his ally and his enemy. He needed someone to be there for him, to support him. Everyone in his life who had filled that role had either died, was murdered, or was far away.

Viper unconsciously had been leaning closer and closer to him, and now she wrapped her body around him, giving him a snake-hug.

Then she slithered off the bed, looking around the room. It was a mess. She slithered around gathering up feathers, and stacking them into a pile in a corner. It would be a shame to waste all these, there had to be some use for them...

Shen slowly swam back to consciousness, sleep clinging to him like a smothering blanket. He blinked a few times, staring at the wall.

Where was he? What had just happened?

He stood up, feeling wobbly. He must have been doing something tiring...

"Good morning Shen!" Viper called cheerily, sitting on a large pile of white feathers.

Shen stared at her, then at the feathers, then back to her.

Slowly, a trickle of memories oozed into his brain. He had just come out of...a hallucinatory panic attack? And Viper had been there...how embarrassing. He looked at himself- and nearly fainted. His feathers were scruffy, and there were quills poking up everywhere. The balance on his tail felt...different as well.

He turned to look, and swooned. His train was almost completely gone! The feathers that did remain there only added to his patched appearance.

He turned back to Viper, and felt hot blood rush to his face.

"What's the matter?" Viper asked, concerned.

Shen sighed. That was another drawback of being white; blushes showed up quite easily.

"You should know," he said irritably, "I am completely unpresentable..."

Viper laughed. "Oh, is that all? You should see what I look like when I shed!"

Shen growled. "Your sheddings only last a few hours... This," he said disgustingly, gesturing at himself, "will stay here for weeks."

Viper ignored the growl. She knew that molting birds tend to be more irritable than usual, several years with Crane had taught her that.

"It's ok, Shen," she said soothingly, "No one's going to see you."

"Except you. And your a... a female," Shen retorted, "And that panda. He'll probably laugh, and humiliate me further."

Viper made a fake shocked expression. "What does me being female have to do with anything? Is it because we are picky about appearances?"

"Yes, partly..." Shen muttered.

"What else?" Viper's eyebrows bunched together, thinking, "Is it... because your just embarrassed?"

"No, no, it's..." Shen stuttered a few times, then exploded, "WHY do you HAVE to be so nosy! Can't a matter be private!?"

"If it was private, you wouldn't have told me," Viper pointed out.

"Fine," Shen muttered, defeated, "If you really want to know, females aren't supposed to see..this." He gestured to a bare patch of skin.

Viper blushed. "Oh."

Shen's eyes widened, and he shook his wings frantically. "No, no! That's not what I mean!" He slowed, and stammered, "It's stupid instincts... They give a drive to always look one's best in front of the ladies..."

"Why is that?" Viper asked.

"Because...well, just BECAUSE! Does there have to be a reason for everything?" Shen screeched.

"It's so you can impress them, isn't it?" Viper guessed.

"Yes, well-"

"So your worried that I'll see you, and won't be impressed? You are impressing me?" Viper asked, with growing concern.

"No, No!" Shen hissed. "I never try to 'impress'. It's just instincts! And even if I did," He gave her a dark glare, "I would never try to impress a venomless snake."

Viper's eyes widened. "How- how did you..."

"I heard you talking to the panda." Shen answered her question before she even asked it.

Viper pushed back the stinging emotions that still pushed to her mind whenever she heard the word 'venomless'. Even after all these years, she was still sensitive about that.

"I would never want to be impressed by an scrawny white bird," she retorted.

Shen was taken aback somewhat. He had never heard her use a harsh tone before.

Even so, he still bristled at her insult.

"I should never hope you were," he hissed, "I certainly don't care what you think."

Viper made a cruel smile. "Really? Seems you did when you were all whimpery, begging me not to ever betray you... It seemed you cared then!"

Shen flushed red. Did he do that? He honestly couldn't remember.

"That was fear talking, not me!" he frowned, and what was left of his head-crest lifted, "I would certainly never tell you anything like that."

"Hah!" Viper spat, "Perhaps it was one of your imaginary friends!"

"Stop making light of my mental state! I don't like it anymore than you do!"

"And I don't like being called 'female' and 'venomless' in a derrogotory manner!" Viper replied angrily, "At least not from the likes of you!"

"From the likes of me?" Shen questioned, "Well...female... An insult from me is worth a thousand compliments from someone else." He said the word 'female' with particular relish.

"From you? An old white bird, without an ally in the world? I fail to see how that makes your insults precious."

"Obviously, female," he said again, "You have never heard the saying 'royalty is on the inside'. But I wouldn't expect you to, you are only a peasant, after all."

Viper puffed at that. "Royalty is the last thing I expect to find inside you, you..." she was searching for a really burning insult, "You... white... madman!"

"I am NOT a MADMAN!" he screeched, and his train flared.

That fortunately ended the argument, as Viper burst out into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Shen could not see why, until he looked at his train. Far from looking imposing, it was scraggly and lopsided, and did indeed look rather comical.

His train sank back down, and he flopped disconsolately on the bed. The rose was right in front of his face.

"This is all your fault," he told it angrily, "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you."

The flower only bobbed up and down, as if it was laughing.

"What's so funny!?" Shen questioned it, "I really ought to..."

Before he could do anything though, another breeze rustled through the room, pulling off some petals and leaves from the plant. It stopped bobbing.

"Hah!" Shen said triumphantly, "Now your molting too!"

* * *

_Author's note: This chapter was a bit disturbing. So, let me get one thing straight before I continue: I am NOT doing a Lord Shen x Master Viper romance. It's just that Shen obviously needed some comfort, and can you honestly see Po comforting anyone? And that thing about impressing, it really was just instincts, and Shen was only embarrassed about them. Nothing more. It seems I just keep implying it by accident, so I'll say this right out: there will be NO romance with Shen in this story, the only romance will be some minor CranexMei ling. Although future stories MAY have some, not this one._

_And now about Nehsa. Think of her as the avatar of insanity. Shen was having a panic attack, and there was no-one to comfort him, so his brain clicked it's self-comfort system online, which is Nehsa. She is like Shen's imaginary girlfriend, and he knows that she's imaginary, but his evil self loves her. She's creepy, expect to see more of her in later chapters._


	34. Creative chaos

Chapter Thirty-Six

It was music to him, harsh, and yet so alluring. The sounds of construction, the organized chaos that creates, was a potent charm to him.

And he certainly needed it.

Shen had been racking his brains for the past several weeks. The cave's construction work had ground to a halt, and Aang was becoming more and more impatient.

Another paper crumpled to the ground, discarded, joining the others already on the floor. Design after design, countless works of weaponry, enough to make any weapon enthusiast's heart pound, littered the ground.

"Light, yet destructive, light yet dstructive," Shen muttered to himself, over and over again.

Bats, who could not push his heavy, original cannons, needed a lighter, more portable prototype. Shen's style of cannon was much different than his style of martial arts, large and destructive. The problem was that his powder mixture produced large quantities of force, which was incredibly difficult to scale down.

His smaller, lighter designs would require such a small amount of powder in order to be safe, that the projectile could not travel far at all. Larger quantities would explode the cannon... Smaller quantities would reduce it's effectiveness...

"Made any progress yet?" a voice spoke out behind him. Shen started, and looked behind him, wrapping his dark cloak closer to him.

"No, no..." he stood up, and saw to his relief, that it was not Aang, "Oh, Bianfu...no, I haven't hade much progress at all... There seems to be no solution to this problem..."

"Perhaps you only need to find a different solution," Bianfu replied.

Shen shook his head. "The normal thing is to change the metal composition...but I only have one type of metal!" he shuddered, and fought against the urge to scratch himself, "I cannot do that...and Aang refuses to let me do anything other than just sit here, drawing designs..."

A feather fell to the floor.

"Aang does not trust you," Bianfu informed, "Does he have a reason to?"

Shen turned away, thinking. Eventually, he shook his head. "No. No he doesn't. He is no fool, and I will have to be careful..."

"He is afraid of you, Shen."

Shen laughed, the sound echoing around the cavern. "Afraid of me? Now what would he have to be afraid of me for?" he turned back to the bat, "I though he held in all the cards..."

"He does not trust you, because he is like you," Bianfu answered, "In your position, he would not act as loyal as you do."

Shen muttered, "Like repels like," he tilted his head slightly, and continued, "If there was...a confrontation, between me and Aang, where would you side?"

Bianfu looked startled. "I-I...I don't know..."

Shen sighed. "That's all I need to know." he looked upwards, and sighed again. "What am I going to do, Bianfu? When all this is done, where will we each end up? Will, in ten years from now, look back, and say this was the right choice?"

"How could it be wrong?" Bianfu questioned. "How could creating a weapon to make us great, ever be wrong?"

"Hmmm..." Shen shook his head, "I asked myself those very same questions, all those years ago. It was flawless... It couldn't fail. But no one ever thought the same as me," he lowered his head, and his hood went over his face, "To them, it was wrong, absolutely wrong. To create a new weapon, the like of which was never seen before...it was wrong. No amount of reason could convince them otherwise. No one told that to the turtle..."

Shen closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Sometimes I wonder, I wonder that if I, if I had created my weapon before the turtle, then would I have been the one revered, the one respected for the creation of the way to protect them? Or would they still have rejected it?"

Bianfu shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows?"

Shen didn't seem to hear. "Perhaps, perhaps Kung Fu is a poison, a poison that blinds the mind to any other. Or perhaps it is simply fear of the unknown that causes them to reject that would help them."

"Does it matter?" Bianfu asked, "Does it matter, whether they accept or not? The weapon is still just as effective."

Shen replied, keeping his eyes closed. "What they say about it determines it's use. If someone had tried to invade China, and my weapons had protected it, then I would not be here now."

"But," Bianfu questioned, "It's not what they think, it's what you make of it! It's like your fireworks, it doesn't matter whether or not the rocket is launched by its own power, or propelled through a tube, as long as it flies!"

Shen opened his eyes, and turned back to Bianfu. "That is true, but...say that again."

Bianfu looked confused. "It doesn't matter whether or not the rocket is launched by its own power, or propelled through a tube, as long as it flies?"

"Yes, that..." Shen whirled back to the desk, and pulled out some more paper.

"That's it! It does not matter, as long as it flies."

"What are you doing?" Bianfu questioned.

"What you said..." Shen replied, "I may not be able to keep the cannon from exploding, but...what if the projectile fires itself, like a rocket...then the cannon could just as well be a metal tube, and there is no need for..."

Shen rambled on and on, rattling off equations and scales... Several more designs fell to the floor, but this time, prototypes of projectiles, instead of cannons, litter the floor.

* * *

"No, no...the speed would be too far reduced... The shape of the projectile would..." he sighed.

He had run into another stumbling block. His gunpowder formula was unsuitable for his new usage. He would love to conduct some experiments, but he had no gunpowder whatsoever, conventional or not.

Time to get back to basics.

"Bianfu," he asked, "Fly to someplace, and buy me some fireworks, ten of each kind."

Bianfu did not question the order, he simply left.

"Since when where you allowed to order whatever you wanted?"

Shen slowly rotated, sighing in exasperation. Aang could never just leave him to his own devices for just a few minutes...

"If you expect me to create my weapons, I must be allowed the proper materials..." Shen replied.

"Ohh, so fireworks is an essential part of your weapon?" Aang asked sarcastically.

"Heart and soul..." Shen muttered, standing up and pulling his robe entirely around him.

"Don't play games with me, peacock..." Aang examined Shen, then commentated, "Since when did you start wearing a hood?"

"Since I started, 'Lord' Aang," Shen hissed dangerously.

Aang smirked. "Are you hiding something?" he flew up closer, and tugged the hem of the robe, "Black. Did someone die in your family?"

"No. It just helps me fit in..." Shen brought a wing to his face, discreetly itching it, "Now, if you will excuse me-"

"I will not," Aang interrupted. He liked interrupting, it gave him a sense of power over the taller avian.

"Have you completed the weapons yet?"

Shen shook his head, making an annoyed sigh.

Aang frowned. "I am getting very impatient, Shen. For the past three weeks, all you have done is sit here and draw!"

"That is all you will allow me to do!" Shen retorted, arching his neck menacingly, "And even if I was to complete it today, you would still lack the weapon you so desperately want...it's soul is still missing."

Aang hated it when Shen did this. He wanted to give the appearance of knowing all about the weapon already. Shen would fear that his usefulness was dropping, and hurry to the next step. But when Shen did this, it exposed how little he really knew.

Shen noticed this, and hid a smile underneath his hood.

"The gunpowder. It makes the weapon fire," he spoke in an explaining tone, as if he was talking to a child.

"I know that!" Aang lied, spreading his wings, "What do you take me for, a fool?!"

"No, certainly no,." Shen said with a smile.

"_A pompous, ignorant, stupid pile of drool maybe, but never a fool_," he muttered under his breath.

"When will you be done?" Aang asked.

Shen sighed. "I don't know! There is a lot of variables..."

"Well, hurry it up! I want it done now! Now, now, now now!" Aang screeched.

Shen stared. That line brought back memories...had he really been this bossy?

"It took me thirty years to finish last time," he replied, lowering his head, "You may be in for a wait."

Aang shook his head. "I am giving you one more week. Don't disappoint me."

Shen did not turn his head. "Oh, I will not."

"Oh, and one more thing..."

Aang suddenly hurled himself at Shen. Shen responded with amazing speed, spinning away from Aang's attack, but his long cloak refused to move as quickly as he did, and Aang managed to grab onto it. Aang gave a sturdy pull, and the cloak ripped free of the bird.

Aang looked Shen over.

"No hidden weapons...good, good..."

Shen glared, bristling. How dare he!

"...And you look LOVELY, Shen," Aang added sarcastically.

Shen's eyes widened. He was molting, and 'lovely' was the last thing that would come to mind if you looked at him. His feathers were patchy, and parts of him were bare. He leaned down, and picked up his cloak. His eyes glared daggers at Aang.

"Well, I must leave now..." Aang grinned, "Ta ta!"

He flew away, laughing to himself.

Shen's eyes followed him, as he became nothing more than a small black speck in the gloom of the cave. He raised his wing, and made repeated squishing motions with his wing.

"Ta ta!" Shen smiled, then instantly turned his face into a sour frown. "Stupid, ignorant pile of drool..." He pulled his cloak around him, fastening it tight.

"Just you wait. Just you wait..."

He sat back down, and started to draw design after design.

"I'll show that stinking piece of black scum...I'll show him..."

He was interrupted by violin music playing behind him. A familiar light touch slid over his shoulder.

"You know," a feminine, singsong voice whispered in his ear. "You could always let me deal with him."

Shen didn't turn his head, but replied. "Sorry, but your way of dealing with him would only get me killed," he made a few more lines on the paper, tracing out a rounded triangle, "You never were very subtle, Nehsa."

Nehsa simpered, and sat next to him. "Well, you always turned to me before..."

"That was different. Then I could afford to turn to you. But now I have to be subtle..." Shen drew a long rectangle behind the triangle.

"By giving him all your weapons?" Nehsa raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't seem very clever to me..."

"It burns me..." Shen hissed, "But it's the only way I could think of to save my sorry skin..."

Nehsa made an all-too-familiar horrified expression. "Shen! He threatened you?" she frowned, "Why, I wish I could..."

Shen finally turned to face her. "Now Nehsa, this time you have to stay under control," he shook his head. "One slip up, and I'm done for."

Nehsa hung her head. "I'm sorry Shen. I'm so used to solving your problems for you... I wish I could help you..."

"This problem I must solve alone," Shen replied, "Besides, you can help me."

She looked up. "How?"

"You calm me, Nehsa," he replied, "I need you to think properly. Without you, I'm useless..."

She made a surprised expression.

"Shen!" then she calmed.,"I'd love to."

"I thought you might..." Shen replied, then sat down back to the table, "Now, have any ideas on this?"

The two peafowl, one real and one a figment of a demented imagination, sat down and worked on weapons together.

* * *

Several hours later, the floor was completely covered with white balls of twisted up paper.

Shen added the finishing touches to what he believed to be the design of the final prototype.

"We did it!" Shen breathed, "We finally did it!"

"Now, where would you be without me?" Nehsa laughed.

"Back at Gongmen, ruling it," Shen replied.

Nehsa grew silent. "Well...other than that."

Shen smiled. "It doesn't matter."

He leaned down, and inspected the design again.

It looked odd, with a cone-shaped object at the end of a shaft, slotted into a tube. The tube had some kind of handle projecting off of it.

Shen sighed. "Now, to build it...of course it won't ever work without the gunpowder."

Right on cue, Bianfu burst in, holding box after box of fireworks.

"Ahh, perfect timing!" Shen exclaimed, "Hand me the fireworks!"

Bianfu complied.

"Useful little guy, isn't he?" Nehsa commented.

Shen set the boxes on the table, opening one eagerly. Slowly, almost reverently, he lifted a tube, wrapped in brown paper, out of the box.

"Very good! Quality Gongmen fireworks!" he gave Bianfu an approving nod, "Now, could you hand me a knife?"

While Bianfu searched for a knife, Shen reached into the box, and pulled out a rocket, the type of firework that flies under it's own power, rather than shooting colored streaks out of it. He took the knife from the bat, then cut the firework open. His face showed a kind of repressed glee, as his eyes ran over the various compartments within the firework.

Very carefully, he poured each powder into a separate jar, measuring each powder carefully.

Once this was done, he grabbed his pen, and wrote on each of the jars.

Bianfu watched as Shen repeated this process several times, each on a different firework. To him, it was like watching a magician, or a wizard, at work. He knew he would never understand what this peacock, this otherworldly being, was doing, but he was sure that there was some reason behind it.

Shen leaned back, and inspected his work. Each firework's content was separated into several jars, each grouped around another of their respective fireworks.

"There!" Shen said, "Control done!"

Bianfu cocked his head. "Shen?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Shen mumbled in reply.

"What are you doing?"

"You will see." Shen answered dismissively, "We will all see..." he turned back to Bianfu, "Do you have anywhere in the cave with really high ceilings?

_A few minutes later_

"This is perfect!" Shen exclaimed, looking around the room. It was circular in shape, with smooth walls reaching up hundreds of feet.

"Now we can work!"

Shen arranged his jars carefully, each precisely positioned. "First for this one..." he said, pulling out a duplicate

of the first firework. He set it on the ground, in the center of the circle. He turned back to Bianfu, and ordered him up the wall.

"Remember to tell me exactly how high this flies!" Shen called.

Shen walked back to the firework, and leaned down.

Bianfu watched intently. He had never seen fireworks before, and was very curious as to what Shen was doing.

Shen lit the fuse, and leaped back, heading towards the edge of the ring.

SSEEEWWWW!

The firework flew upwards, trailing red sparks behind it, shooting skywards, until it exploded with a massive red ball, and what sounded like thunder.

All over the cave system, the sound echoed around, until the whole cave was filled with thunder.

To bats, who can literally see sound,

the boom was like a blinding flash of light, hurting their ears.

"One hundred, thirty feet!" Bianfu called.

"One hundred, thirty feet..." Shen jotted down. "That, averaging with my estimate of one hundred, seventeen feet..averages to one hundred, twenty-three point five feet. Good!" he looked up, "On to the next one!"

Several curious bats peeked into the cavern, wondering about the cause of that tremendous noise. They witnessed Shen, pulling out a pointed tube, and balancing it in the ground.

"Ready?" he called up to Bianfu.

"Ready!" A voice called down.

Shen lit the fuse, and leaped back to his position at the edge of the ring.

The bats all watched. They seemed to anticipate that something was about to happen...

POOooowww!

The firework's signature shreik whistled through the cavern, filling the bat's sound receptors with brilliant light.

The firework traced upwards, trailing blue light behind it.

The bats watched in awe. It was the most amazing thing that most of them had ever seen.

The firework exploded, flinging out what appeared to be enormous wings, in brilliant blue and green hues. The sparks filled the cavern, and rained down like light from heaven.

"One hundred, fifty-two feet!" Bianfu called down.

"One hundred, fifty-two feet..." Shen added the figures to his chart. "That, averaged with my estimate of one hundred, forty-seven feet, adds up to..." He made a mental calculation, "...one hundred forty-nine, point five."

That day, the bats had the closest thing to a party for over two years. More and more gathered to watch, as Shen repeated the process over and over, each time with a different firework. They oohed and ahhed, as sparks flew everywhere.

Shen was happy as well. He now had a point of reference for every firework type, and now he could begin his alterations.

He looked around, and for the first time, he noticed his spectators. He nodded to them.

Suddenly, the whole cave was filled with the roaring sound of applause. The bats were cheering! They were actually CHEERING!

Shen had never been cheered for before, and was unsure about how to react. He bowed slightly.

"Alright, alright!" a squeaky voice silenced the applause, "So you gave us a pretty light show, what good is that? Does it give us China? No and nothing!"

Aang glared at Shen. "Now, these are just fireworks like anyone could get! If this is your 'weapon' I say it's just as effective as you are: worthless!"

Shen stuttered. "This is only..."

Shen's words were drowned at by a sudden sea of booing, as all the bats started to hiss and screech.

Aang looked around, pleased. Then, the pleased smirk vanished off his face as he realized something. The bats were booing at HIM! At him! Aang couldn't believe it!

Shen smirked. "This is only the control POWDER tests, Aang."

Oh, how Aang wished he could rip Shen to shreds! But the bird had the protection of the mob, any bad vibes he sent out could result in him being turned into several little pieces on the floor.

"Oh..." he said, flustered, "Carry on, then."

He flew off quickly, embarrassed. That peacock! Once those cannons were complete, he would pay, and dearly...

Aang lay back, imagining all the horrible things he would do, once he had the chance...

"Very well, I can continue the control tests by myself." Shen addressed the bats. "Now, we can really start. Go to my quarters, and fetch the design from my desk."

The bats hurried to do his bidding. They had gained a new respect for the peacock, seeing all the things he was capable of.

"Did you that? The red one?"

"Amazing...I've never seen..."

"It was incredible..."

The whole cave was talking, and for once, it was in Shen's favor.

And he intended to keep it that way.

* * *

Shen paced back and forth, nervously considering his next move. The bats were milling about, still getting the designs for Shen's new weapon.

He certainly did not want to rush the progress. He was well aware of what was most likely in store for him, once his usefulness had expired.

"Sir!"

Shen whirled, ready to defend...but it was only some bat.

"What is it, little one?" he asked, in a faraway tone.

"The designs are in the construction room, and we would very much like you to oversee the creation of the prototype moulds, sir!"

"Very well. Dissmissed!"

Shen made his way down the winding passageways and tunnels of the cave, heading towards the smelting room, once more full of chaos and construction.

Shen's new creation was not very large, and probably would not take very long to create. Fine-tuning, however, would probably take much longer. Weight of projectile, width of projectile, aerodynamics of projectile, all had to be taken into account.

His powder tests also had to be done. Smelting metal, the bats could do themselves, but Shen was the only one who knew the slightest thing about chemicals.

He looked out from his perch, as the bats copied down the measurements on his paper, and began the creation of the prototype mold.

Shen could not hold down that familiar excitement, which had been born within him so long ago, as he watched his first firework rocket skywards.

Soon, a new weapon would be brought into the world, and he would be it's creator. The thought sent him into happy shivers.

"Are you proud now?" he muttered, his eyes scanning from left to right, "Of course you are."

He smelled the familiar smell of molten metal, and was proud himself. The wings of wind and claws of fire; that summed up Shen. His mind created monsters of fire, his body moved with the explosive beauty of the wind.

Not that he was particularly beautiful right now. He looked more like a half-plucked chicken, than a being crafted in the image of the phoenix herself.

The bats had everything under control here. Shen turned, and left the cavern. He had explosives to tend to.

Back in the empty room, he sighed, taking in the silence. Standing perfectly still for a few minutes, thinking on his past, pondering the present, and looking to the future.

He had come so far, over so many places and positions. It could only get better from here.

Opening his eyes, he swiftly got back to work, ever so carefully making alterations in chemical proportions, searching for the one which would give him the most thrust.

Several tries later, he was still hard at work, in stark contrast to the lack of patience he had in other areas of his life.

He poured one chemical into the compartment, and quickly sealed it off. This was rocket number thirty, an important number for him.

Thirty years since his exile..

Thirty years since his royalty ended...

Thirty years since the five most important people in his life showed their true colors, four betraying, one proving...

He lit the fuse, and leaped back.

Immediately, he could tell this one was different. It's trail was much thicker, it's speed much greater...

Shen's eyes widened, as it soared up and up, gaining more and more velocity, as it shot forward...

It didn't stop! It kept picking up speed. The ceiling of the cavern was coming up fast...

The rocket slammed into the ceiling with incredible force, the front end crumpling under the impact, dumping its explosive contents into the fiery trail.

KAAABBBBBBOOOOMMM!

A massive blue and white explosion tore the ceiling open, sending large chunks of rock breaking free of the ceiling. Shen leaped sideways, as several tons of stone impacted the floor...

The ground shook all over the cave.

Several bats rushed to the door of the cavern, anxious to see what had happened. One of them reached for the door, throwing it open...

Smoke swirled outwards, pale blue, with the distinct smell of gunpowder.

"Wow...what happened?" one of the bats gasped in shock.

Suddenly, a figure appeared in the smoke, almost seeming to float towards them. The light reflected off it's eyes; they were blood red.

The bats backed off before it. The thing stepped out of the smoke, and looked around.

The bats gasped in awe, as the figure raised it's wings triumphantly. They were seeing Shen as they had never seen him before; not as an old, washed-out visionary, but as master of fire and darkness.

Shen noticed their stupefied expressions, and smiled. Stretching his wing out to them, he spoke.

"You do right to stare. You have just witnessed the conception...of the new dawn!"

And the bats cheered.

* * *

_Author's note: Sorry for the long wait! I really, really am. I hate leaving you guys waiting._

_ As you can see, Shen and Aang are really beginning to get on each other's nerves. They are going to do that a lot in the future. Also, thanks to Collie, from CollieandShire, for giving Aang a form. Seriously, I could not visualize anything of Aang or the other bats before she drew me those pictures._

_Now, to answer some questions!_

_RobinRobert: This story will have forty-five chapters, but they will be long chapters. I hope to breach 100,000 words, which I probably will. I was really surprised at how long this story has turned out to be, at first I was thinking 'let's see, can I stretch this to 40,000 words?' but it's turned out far longer._

_Please read and review!_


	35. Doubts begin

Chapter Thirty-Seven

The six warriors, a snake, a crane, a tigress, a monkey, a praying mantis, and a panda, each went through their routines, each doing the same moves at presicely the exact same time.

Although they each accomplished the move differently, there was a kind of discordant harmony to the routine, a kind of symmetry that linked them all together.

Another training day at the Jade palace, and to the warriors that lived there, the wonder of the place still failed to rub off.

Each warrior moved their left arm up, (except Viper, she used her tail) and swung it back down, using the momentum to spin their entire bodies around.

A straight punch forward, a few steps back, kick up, head down, and a sudden flurry of motion brought each of the routines to an end.

"Well done, students!" Master Shifu appraised, as each warrior bowed, "Now, on to training."

Not all training at the Jade palace involved exiting moves and doing death-defying stunts, a good deal of it was just to take a pose, the harder the better, and stay in it for long periods of time.

Tigress, Mantis, Crane, and Viper were the best at this, as each of them naturally relied on waiting for long periods of time to catch their food.

Each warrior took their pose, and the whole palace was absolutely quiet. You could have heard a pin drop...

THUMP!

The silence was ruined, as Po tripped from his pose, and collapsed on the floor. The other warriors pretended not to notice...

Except for Master Monkey, who found giggles irrepressibly coming to his mouth. He clapped his hand over his mouth in an effort to stop them, but it was no use.

Tigress groaned, as Monkey collapsed next to Po, convulsed with laughter. But she didn't say anything, that was not her place.

Her eyes spoke volumes, however, and Monkey's laughter dried up instantly. He stood up, and took his pose again. Po did the same...

THUMP!

Almost immediately, he fell back down.

Tigress sighed. He had only been here for just under two years, and was still learning the flexibility and stability that the others had already mastered. He had some slack cut for him...

THUMP!

...but this was too much!

Po stood back up, already wobbling. He leaned to one side. He flailed frantically, trying to catch himself, and grabbed onto Crane's beak.

"Hey! HEY!" Crane exclaimed, tilting backwards like a falling pillar, as Po tried to regain his balance. Crane shot his wing out, knocking Monkey off his tail into Tigress.

Tigress was balancing on her pinky, and could not keep herself up. She fell left, on top of Mantis. Mantis screeched, and held her upwards, so she was practically two inches from the floor, appearing to float.

"Hey! Tigress!" Mantis exclaimed, "Get up!"

"I can't!" she replied, "Monkey is on my feet!"

"It's not my fault!" Monkey called frantically, "Viper is over my face, and Crane's holding me down!"

"Po is on my face! I can't move!" Crane explained.

"SOMEONE HELP US!" they all called simultaneously.

But no one came, and the Furious Five and Po were cramped into that horribly uncomfortable position for several hours.

What seemed like a looong time later, Master Shifu came in to announce the end of the flexibility, endurance and patience training. His eyes widened when he saw their position.

"What happened here?" he asked.

"It's Po-" Monkey tried to explain, but was interrupted by Shifu.

"That is the most spectacular example of teamwork in stances I have ever seen! Each Master resting on the other, that is incredible work. Well done!" he helped Po up, allowing the other Masters to return to their feet.

"Take a break, then we can get back to sparring," he turned, and walked away.

"Whoa, did he just say we did something RIGHT?" Mantis questioned. Even Tigress looked happy, (That is, she wasn't frowning) and everyone was in a good mood.

Po went to go get a snack.

He made his way to the kitchen, and opened the food closet. He dodged the shuriken that flew past his face, jumped over the stream of fire, and pulled open a secret hatch in the back of the cupboard, searching for the holy grail of Jade palace cuisine; Monkey's legendary almond cookies.

Baked to delicious perfection, radiating an aura of pure cookie-smelling goodness, Monkey's cookies were to die for. Monkey protected them heavily, hence all the booby-traps.

Po's eyes frantically searched the cupboard, until...he saw it! Sitting in a beam of light, there was that jar of baked perfection!

Pulling out the jar, and unscrewing the lid, Po was just about to take a bite of temping cookie, when he heard footsteps coming towards him. He hid the jar behind his back.

Tigress walked into the room, and when she saw Po, she walked up to him.

"Hey, Tigress!" Po hailed nervously, "Whatcha doing here?"

"I was searching for you, Dragon Warrior," came the reply.

"I was afraid of that..." Po mumbled to himself. Then he spoke again, out loud this time. "What were you doing searching for me for? I mean, c'mon, you don't look for me that often..."

Tigress sat down on a stool, and looked up at Po.

"Po, I want to know. Are you hiding something, from the rest of us?"

Po gulped, feeling the cookie jar behind his back. "N-no..."

Tigress, without warning, suddenly leaped forward, and pulled Po around. She saw the cookie jar, and looked odd, sort of half relieved, half dissapointed.

"Ok, you got me!" Po sighed, setting the cookie jar down.

"I was taking Monkey's cookies..." he looked up at Tigress, "I'll give you one if you don't tell Monkey..."

Tigress half smiled, then sat down again. She shook her head. "Po, I have a confession to make."

Po's eyes widened. "You...you did something wrong? B-but your perfect!"

"No..." Tigress shook her head again, "No one's perfect. I nearly broke our group's bond of mutual trust to each other." hhe looked into Po's eyes, and continued. "Before, during self-improvement, you would try out new moves, or try to eat as many dumplings as you could in one mouthful...but now, you just disappear..."

Po felt beads of sweat coming to his brow. She was close...

"I got the feeling that you were hiding something from us...and I...and I was going to spy on you, to find out what it was..." she looked up at Po,

an unreadable expression on her face, a mix of guilt, fear, (fear? Tigress?) curiosity, and distrust battling trust.

"I was going to spy on you... But I decided not to. I decided that if you were hiding something...dishonorable, from us, that you would have the character to tell me what it was, if I came and asked you."

If Po was sweating before, he was a river now.

Tigress continued, her eyes still on Po's face, not noticing the puddles of sweat that pooled around his feet. "Now I have made my confession, it's time for you to make yours. Po, where do you go during self-improvement? What are you doing?"

Po abruptly decided to sit down. "I-I...well, I, um... I teach..." he sighed, "Your right Tigress, I can't tell lies, at least not to you."

He frowned, and looked up.

"I'm going to tell you, but don't judge me until I've finished, ok?"

Tigress nodded.

"Well, when we went to Gongmen-..."

"Bandits are attacking the village!" Mantis exclaimed, bursting in.

"Let's go," Tigress said immediately. Her eyes, however clearly said that this conversation was not over.

Po, Tigress, and Mantis ran down the hallways of the palace, heading towards the door.

"Were you eating Monkey's cookies?" Mantis asked.

"Well-"

"Give me some when we get back."

"Will do!"

They reached the stairs, and Po leaped off them, into the waiting talons of Crane, who acted like a mix of glider and parachute for the giant panda. Tigress simply leaped downwards, reaching the bottom in three bounds.

She landed at the bottom, Crane dropping Po behind her, who landed on his feet perfectly, Mantis on his shoulder. Monkey and Viper dropped on either side just a second later.

They headed towards the outskirts of town, where the bandit attack was taking place. Crane, from his high vantage point, could already see the attackers, and called them out.

"It's Fung, and...fifteen croc bandits!"

"Fung? We were called all this way for that loser?" Mantis questioned.

"Never underestimate your enemy, Mantis!" Viper called, slithering alongside, "It gets you caught in traps!"

Tigress, Crane and Monkey went over a house in the way, while Po, Viper, and Mantis quickly hurried around it.

* * *

Fung was having the time of his life; with such good protection, the citizens of the Valley were almost defenseless by themselves. His croc bandits could practically take whatever they wanted.

"No more we wait in the shadows, waiting for stuff to come to us!" he called, puffing out his chest, "Now we come to IT!"

He watched his bandits burst through doors, carrying off bags of plunder, while the citizens scrambled away screaming. It was so different than the bumbling operations that they usually carried out. It made Fung feel like a great general, commanding his troops...

Suddenly, three bandits fell over, unconscious.

"Hiyah!" Tigress snarled, on top of a downed crocodile.

"Stop right there, Fung!" Po exclaimed, coming around from behind a building.

"Why do you guys always have to ruin my party?" Fung demanded angrily. "Croc bandits, ATTA-..."

"It's all five of the Furious Five!" a croc bandit pointed out.

"And the Dragon Warrior!" another one added.

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHhhhhh!" all of them exclaimed together.

Fung clapped his hand to his face. "You guys! Seriously?"

No one paid any attention to him, however. He threw his helmet on the ground. "ENOUGH!"

All the croc bandits stopped screaming.

"Croc bandits, ATTACK!" Fung yelled.

"There's two for each of us," Tigress stated, as the remaining crocodiles closed in on them...

An axe swiped towards Tigress's neck, and she swung backward to avoid it, flinging her leg out at the same time. The crocodile collapsed, and Tigress leaped off it's back, striking another bandit in the stomach, felling him instantly.

Beside her, bandit charged at Monkey, but tripped over Viper, and collapsed in front of the primate, who knocked the croc with his staff. Viper leaped up, wrapping herself around another reptile, keeping him still, as Monkey brought him down.

Fung's victorious army was beginning to be routed. "Come on, guys!" he urged.

Mantis shot upward with astonishing speed, landing on a crocodile's nose, and flung him into another croc. Two more down.

Next to him, Po caught two axes, one in each hand, and twisted them downward, until their owners were practically stooping. They struggled to raise their weapons, but Po used his massive weight to keep them down easily, before suddenly releasing them. The two reptiles suddenly were jerked upwards by the lack of pressure, knocking each other unconscious. Po sat on them, just to make sure.

The last four bandits, (excluding Fung) charged at Monkey and Viper in unision.

Crane dropped between two of them, felling one with a kick and the other with a strike of his wing. The other two turned on him, but were stopped, one by Viper wrapping around his legs, and the other by a roundhouse kick from Tigress.

All six Masters turned their eyes to Fung, standing alone.

Fung's victorious thoughts had turned sour remarkably fast.

"S-stay back!" he called back, brandishing his axe, "I-I can take you all on!"

"Yeah right!" Monkey grinned.

"What if we gave you...a coconut?!" Po shouted, pulling out a coconut.

"Hey!" Fung quavered, his knees starting to knock, "I'm allergic to coconuts!"

"I know," Po answered back. He flung the coconut with bullseye accuracy, using the throwing technique Shen had taught him. The coconut flew squarely down Fung's throat.

Fung gagged, as spots started to appear all over his scaly skin.

"Now look what you've done!" he choked. His skin started turning purple.

The six warriors were about to lunge, when they noticed something strange.

Fung seemed to be growing taller...and taller. Soon, he towered above them...and his muscles seemed to be growing larger too.

"Awww, come on!" Po exclaimed, "How was I supposed to know that would be his allergic reaction?"

Fung roared, a heart-stopping, terrifying roar. He threw a punch at Tigress.

Tigress ducked the massive fist, but was unprepared for the tail-swipe follow up. The tail struck her square in the middle, and she was sent soaring backwards, impacting a wall with terrible force.

She dropped to her knees, clutching her chest. She hadn't been hit that hard since Tai Lung!

The other Masters gaped in astonishment... then went scrambling for cover, as Fung rained down more tremendous blows on them.

The massive crocodilian scooped up piles of loot in its enormous hands, and shuffled off.

Po and the other Masters resumed their gaping...then their eyes slowly turned to Po.

"What?" Po asked nervously.

"You threw the coconut, Po," Monkey pointed out.

"Coconut? What-I-I don't know what your talking about..." Po grinned, pursing his lips.

A groan from a croc bandit interrupted them, as he unconsciously started to move.

"Crane!" Tigress called, getting to her feet, "You and the others stay here, and deal with the bandits. Me and Po are going after Fung." she had a dangerous glint in her eyes; Po wouldn't want to be in Fung's shoes right now.

"Are you sure?" Crane asked, not worried about his leader's decision, but her safety, "That guy looks like he could be dangerous..."

"I'm sure," Tigress answered confidently.

"Alright," Crane nodded, then turned to the still-unconscious bandits, muttering to himself. "Guess I hit you a little hard..."

Tigress turned to Po. "Let's go."

They raced off, following the clear trail that Fung had left. Po expected her to ask about Gongmen, but she did not. The impact seemed to have wiped it from her mind...

Po wasn't sure that was such a good thing.

They stopped momentarily, as the outskirts of the village ended, and the bamboo forest began.

It was clear where Fung had gone: The bamboo was pushed aside, creating a trail of destruction.

"Are you ready?" Tigress asked.

Po took a determined grin. "I was born ready!"

"Let's go then!" Tigress exclaimed, as she and Po leaped into the forest.

It was an eerie coincidence that the forest was full of mist today, impeding vision. Already, the two warriors could hear the thundering footsteps of the monster they were trailing...

Despite himself, Po felt a trickle of dread creep into his heart...

The two warriors turned a corner, then stopped cold!

Towering above them, the terrifying outline of Fung loomed, a cold shadow in the mists.

Fung leaned against a pillar of stone, breathing heavily. He leaned down, and licked his treasure. It was his, all his...

His allergic reaction was severe, destroying his mind. He was now a carnal beast, driven by impulses and instinct.

He crouched, covering his spoils with his massive purple body.

Suddenly, his head jerked upwards, nostrils flaring. He smelled rivals...some instinct in his brain, a spark of what used to be Fung, told him that these smells should be annihilated.

He reared up, and roared, his sound rolling around the Valley.

Tigress winced.

Away, Crane heard the roar, and uttered a silent prayer for the two Masters, who were not just fellow fighters, but friends, even family.

Said two Masters leaped forwards, as Fung crouched and snarled. Po leaped at his stomach, while Tigress simultaneously attacked his back. Fung reared, trying to shake the feline, who was hanging on for dear life. Po struck the stomach, and was thrown off. It was like hitting a wall.

Fung slammed his back against the stone; Tigress was barely able to scramble out of the way in time. She dropped to the ground, and rolled sideways, avoiding the massive fist that slammed into the grass next to her.

Her eyes darted to the massive pillar of stone, standing like a sentinel over them all. Was it just her, or did it just shake?

A tail swept towards her neck like a polearm, and she backflipped backwards to avoid it, landing on all fours, before darting between Fung's legs. She was now between Fung and the pillar.

Fung roared, ramming his head towards her. She had to time this just right...

At the very last possible second, she leaped upwards, running along Fung's back. Fung's head slammed into the pillar, causing it to definitely shake.

Tigress landed next to Po.

"Get him to hit the pillar! If it falls on him, we have won."

Po grinned. "Get ready to feel tha thundah!" he leaped forwards, rolling under Fung's tail. The massive crocodilian swiped his palm at Po, but Po simply ducked.

Fung's hand impacted the pillar, and the pillar shook another inch.

"Impressive, Dragon warrior!" Tigress called, as she leaped off a stalk of bamboo, striking Fung's back. The crocodile didn't even seem to have felt it.

Tigress and Po attacked in sync, one on each side.

Fung flew punches wildly, striking the pillar several times.

Po jumped over the crocodiles head, landing at the base of the pillar. Fung reacted fast, slamming his tail into the ground. Po slid sideways, then gaped.

The pillar still stood, but how was a mystery. It was barely balanced...

Po waltzed up to it, and held his finger an inch away from the pillar.

Fung somehow realized what Po was doing, and his eyes widened.

Po smiled.

"skadoosh!" he pushed his pinky against the pillar...

The pillar fell, landing squarely against the reptile. He was pinned securely.

"Good job, Po," Tigress smiled.

"Yeah, well, you did most of the work..." Po said. He was proud of himself as well, though. "What do we do now?"

Tigress frowned. "I guess we wait here, until Fung returns to normal."

Several hours later, Tigress and Po watched the amusing sight of Fung, trapped under a REALLY heavy pillar.

"Hey guys!?" he drawled, "Where are you? Guys? GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

The two warriors complied, although Fung didn't seem to appreciate it.

They brought him back, and he was locked away...for now.

* * *

Po sat in bed that night, mixed emotions running through his body.

Releif, guilt, and anxiety.

Releif, that the day of discovery was projected into the future.

Guilt, that he was hiding things from the other warriors.

Anxiety, that the day of discovery was still to come, and it would get worse by the day...

Po rolled over in bed, lost in his own thoughts.

* * *

_Author's note: This chapter may have seemed a little random, but I wanted to take a break from the drama/angst, and add some humor in there. It was inspired from the LoA episode 'Good croc bad croc' where Fung remarks that he is allergic to coconuts. _

_Also, Tigress forgot about the conversation she had with Po, because the Über-Fung's tail caused a short-memory lapse._

_Although you might think that this chapter is short, keep in mind that it's still 1,000 words longer than my story 'The Stork'._

_Credit goes to International Wonderland for the 'Releif, guilt, and anxiety' thing. I wasn't sure whether I would have to ask permission for that, but I will give her credit anyway._

_Don't worry, we'll go back to the main story in the next chapter, which I will upload on Wednesday night._

_Thanks for reading, reviews are appreciated!_


	36. Defined destiny

Chapter Thirty-Seven

_What is destiny?_

_Where the winds of fate flee...?_

_Where life takes me...?_

_Sometime you will see..._

_What is destiny...?_

Shen swung his body around, his train flowing like water around him. This was by his own choice, for once at peace with himself. His feathers fell like snow around him, mixing with the leaves and firmament beneath his swiftly moving feet.

He had finally reached somewhat of a resting place, where his life could flow like poetry.

Although it was far from perfect, he was satisfied, a thing that he not felt since forever...

He had realized something.

He was an incredibly fortunate individual. Born in a royal family, having the best of everything growing up, parents who loved him, and then loyal servants who stayed with him until he died, then he was sent back from the dead...Shen had just realized how incredibly rare that was...and then, despite his crimes, he had found probably the only two people in Gongmen who would forgive him...despite the fact he tried to kill them.

They had something he had not... forgiveness. He wanted that, and he would try to get it.

He had no conscience, but he was improving, even the sna... Viper had admitted that.

What would he do with his life, once he had finished? He didn't know, but he was free...he was free! No one to oblige, no ambitious duties to fulfill...he was free.

He flung his wings upwards, feeling the air around him.

The panda had not made fun of him for his appearance, much to Shen's surprise. Apparently, one of his fellow masters was also molting, and Po had found himself in much trouble for picking at HIS appearance.

These Masters...they never seemed to stop surprising him. He was now remembering what his old Master had told him...

_"Kung Fu means 'perfection of self'. Not all of it is about fighting, not all of it is about punches and kicks. In fact, all of that is only a small part of Kung Fu. Kung Fu is about being the best you can be. Kung Fu's main purpose is not the self defense method, but about training your mind. Discipline, courage, confidence, patience, and compassion. That is what Kung Fu is about."_

Shen had thought this was all nonsense, especially the last one. Compassion? In a deadly defense form? That was ridiculous...

Shen had always thought of Kung Fu on the giving end, being the one giving the kicks, the punches, having to give compassion.

But now, he saw it as never before: from the perspective of the one who would receive the compassion.

From that perspective, compassion seemed much more important...if only he had seen that sooner...but better late than never.

He would cover his problems when he reached them. He had plenty of time...

He swirled his train upwards, a few more train feathers falling to the ground.

_What is destiny?_

_When the lives of your past you no longer see...?_

_What the light of your life lets you be...?_

_What is destiny?_

He would find out.

He was sure of it, as sure as was ever sure of anything.

He leaped upwards, flying as freely as his spirit...

He was not finished, there was still so much left for him to learn. That would come later...for now, he could bask in his happiness.

Why was he in such a thoughtfully happy mood?

Because he had just realized how very much blessed he was.

Thinking alone had its benefits. Shen had been thinking, and he had followed his life. It was almost like his life was following a storyline, a plot...filled with sorrow, but with the hinting traces of redemption, lying like glowing coals beneath a blanket. What it led up to, he didn't know, but it was unimportant. He could see everywhere his life reached a turning point, a choice was given, like someone had built a maze, always leaving a way out.

The crossways of destiny...

To Shen, it was like a curtain was pulled away from his eyes, like looking at a ripped picture, when the whole glorious world lay before you, splayed out in splendorous beauty. It was a revelation, a marvelous story...

Shen had never before noticed the other choices, always believing he had been driven to his fate. But now, he saw that he had always been in control, that when it seemed like there had only ever been one choice, that there were several.

It was soothing, knowing he was not entirely driven, simply blinded...

He span in his flight, swirling in the air, over and over again...

His life was like that. Swirling, always swirling...never predictable, constantly moving, ceaselessly alive... He had a life of twists, starting at good, going in a twisted spiral to darkness...and slowly ascending to the light once more. Where would he end up? Only time could tell.

He landed on the ground, the landing barely slowing him down, as he instantly rolled sideways into the air...

Solid ground. Shen's life had never been in a stable place. There was always the possibility that something would happen, and his life would collapse like a house of cards. One day, perhaps...he would be able to stand on two feet, unafraid.

He spiraled back down, standing still. Breath deep, seek peace.

Peace? There was no peace in pride. Shen was a peacock, his body was naturally never at true rest. The panda...he had a look of such...peace... something Shen deeply envied. Shen had hurt Po deeply, yet he was able to shake it off, to let it fly, forgetting it all. Then, by some miracle, he was able to find it in his heart to offer redemption to the one who had caused it all.

How? How could such peace be found? One cannot simply forget the past. To forget is to fail. All the lessons his life had taught him...the past is a valuable thing.

_"We learn from the past, we look to the future..."_

Shen had heard those words before, and they had filled him with excitement. Even now, he still understood the importance of learning from the past. How then, was one to "let it go?"

_"...and we build on the present."_

Perhaps that was it, and you were to learn from the past, not draw pains from it... To use what had happened in the past to give experience to actions now.

Shen had never thought about the moment now. Whenever he made a decision, it was based on how it would impact the future, based on the past. He had followed that saying to the grave, but never truly understood it's full meaning.

One cannot have their head in the future, and live in the present at the same time. It mars perception, twists happiness.

Shen had always thought about the future, always. In any moment, his response to a question was based on the future...

Perhaps he had not looked far enough. No matter how far in the future he looked, he could now see no place in which he could be truly happy...no place where he was at rest...

But now, just for now, as he drew back from the future and focused on the present, he realized he was happy now, now!

When one looked solely to the future for happiness, one was never going to be happy. Shen's looking to the future had blocked him from what was happening now.

Because of this, Shen had never had a perfect moment. He had never known what it meant to be truly happy! Never! Although the future was bright in some places, the now was always brighter. Perhaps that was why his nanny was seldom happy...

Looking to the future could give hope, instill pride. But searching it for happiness was sure to fail...

Shen understood at last. He had to forgive those who had hurt him in the past, or else peace would forever evade him.

Feathers fell to the ground, tickling his feet. His feathers were falling away, pulling off.

How fitting. Just as his feathers fell away, his old life was falling. Just as his feathers budded into growth, his new life began to grow.

But something was wrong. Since when did he wait for things to just, fall off? Since never! He took his destiny into his own wings...

He turned, examining his train. Only a few feathers remained... How very, very fitting. The train of a peacock is the very picture of pride. Shen's pride was leaving, just as his train fell away. He was pleased. He was making steps, and it was time to take another one, to not let pride simply slip away, but to renounce it.

He reached backwards with his wings, softly fondling his loose feathers. He gathered them together in his hands.

Suddenly, he yanked away, wincing at the sudden pain. Stinging tears came to his eyes, as he brought his wing in front of his face, looking at the handful of red, white, and black feathers they contained.

The denouncement of pride...

Shen was left standing, perfectly motionless, without any trace of a train, with feathers in his wings. The gravity of what he had just done suddenly seemed to sink in on him, and he screeched. His train was gone! His train...was... GONE! But he was free... It would grow back. And he was FREE! He had renounced that pride of his at long last.

Now, anything was possible.

_What is destiny?_

_Where I want to be!_

_That is destiny._

_That is destiny!_

* * *

Shen gathered his dark robes next to him, as the bats set up the ring for yet another projectile test.

"Light!"

The call echoed throughout the cavern, and a few seconds later, a bat holding a long metal shaft rocketed backwards, propelled by the recoil of the launch.

The projectile was perfected already, but Shen was struggling with the actual launching of it. He had eventually settled for leaving a small charge inside the shaft, which, when ignited, would propel the rocket forward, at the same time as lighting the main charge on the rocket itself.

Shen's rocket was a masterpiece of ingenuity. A simple metal ellipse, Shen had added stabilizing fins to, mimicking his own flight feathers. The fins would cause the rocket to spin, keeping it on trajectory. That much was simple. But the real genius came in the form of the coating that was pasted on the steel; a type of extremely flammable paint. When the rocket was launched, it would ignite, burning for several hours afterwards. But what Shen was really proud of was what came next. Each rocket was equipped with a collapsible nose cone, which carried a comparatively large amount of highly explosive gunpowder. When the rocket impacted, the cone would push inwards, pushing the fiery outsides of the rocket into the exterior, causing the gunpowder to detonate.

On top of that, the whole thing was very simple to produce, and therefore both rockets and launchers could be produced at unprecedented speeds.

That much had been foolproofed, several craters throughout the cave gave testimony to that.

It was accurate and sustainable launching that was giving Shen a headache. So far, he had tried everything from simply launching the rocket by a fuse, to releasing a flammable spring.

So far, the small explosive cap imbedded within the shaft was working best, but it was incredibly focused, therefore producing large amounts of recoil, which the bat's small bodies could not cope with. Shen had tried nearly every formula he could think of to reduce the recoil, but was now down to the very last one. He had high hopes for this one though, which is why he had saved it for last.

He picked up the shaft, and placed the cap at the back of the shaft, before slotting the rocket into place in front of it. The whole process took just over a minute, with practice, that could be improved. The quick reload was one of the many advantages his new rocket launchers had over the old cannons.

Shen handed the launcher to the test bat, a determined little guy, who was still at it, despite the many injuries that this launcher had given him.

"Clear!" Shen called, stepping back.

"Clear!" the bats echoed, their hands over their ears.

"Light!" Shen commanded.

The test-bat touched the lighter to the back of the cap. Shen watched this, and made a mental note to add a lighting device to the launcher.

A quick tap to the lighting cap was enough to ignite the charge, and all the bats gasped in unision, as the rocket flew from the launcher, then abruptly sped up as it's own propulsion fired up. It flew with astonishing rapidity, striking the wall an amazing five hundred feet away.

This was a dud rocket, it did not explode.

All the same, Shen was filled with a glee that matched that of when he had destroyed the Tower of Sacred Flame. It had worked! The cap had worked!

This was the very final stage of prototype testing, after this, the weapon was to go into mass production.

Shen suddenly felt that sickening nervous feeling coming on. Tomorrow, he would have to give the finished weapon to Aang, and there was nothing in the world to stop the bat from discovering how the weapon worked... And then Shen would die.

He didn't like this, there were too many variables. When he had come into the Masters council, he was confident, how could he not be? His army alone was enough to take the city, and the cannons cemented that.

But here, everything depended on variables, variables which might bend away when he needed them. So far, Shen had only reached scroll number ten, in the ten weeks he had been here... Which was appalling. Aang knew the first fifteen scrolls contained tea recipes and such, and was giving him very limited access to the scrolls.

For now, he adressed the bats. _"Will this be the last time I do this? Shen, get such thoughts out of your head!"_

Clearing his mind, he spoke, silencing the cheering and applauding that was coming from the bats.

"Well done, everyone! You have just witnessed the birth of possibly..." he paused for dramatic affect, "the most destructive weapon in the history of China!"

Another round of applause burst from the bats.

Shen waved a little, before continuing. "The weapon you just saw fire is the final prototype, tomorrow, we begin the productions!"

The bats produced a mixture of good natured groans and cheers.

After speaking a few more words, Shen stepped down, and he bade them all goodnight.

Returning to his quarters, he was so wrapped in his own thoughts that he failed to notice Bianfu, scurrying up alongside him.

"Congratulations, sir!" the little bat piped. Getting no answer, he sighed. He knew exactly what was on the peacock's mind...

"Don't worry, I'm sure it will all work out..."

Shen still refused to answer, and trudged along in silence. Suddenly, he jerked upwards with a exclamation of pain.

"Don't stand on my train!" he yelled, turning around.

Bianfu, guilty as charged, shuffled nervously, as Shen carefully arranged his train feathers. He was going to keep those in there for as long as possible. His loose feathers made everything a bother, and fighting almost impossible.

"Sorry..." the bat mumbled.

Shen paid no attention, putting his train into perfect order. Then he turned to the bat.

"It's alright..." he muttered. He was far too perturbed to be angry.

He straightened himself out, and spoke again.

"Bianfu..." he seemed to be about to say something, but changed his mind. He looked up, at the doors which gave passage to his room. It looked like a prison, tonight more than any other.

"Good night, Bianfu..." he sighed, opening the doors, "I don't expect to see you again."

He opened the door and went in, closing behind him.

Bianfu stood there a minute, as the echoing boom faded away.

What was he to do? He had to do something, or else Aang would kill the best hope that the bats have had for centuries... Bianfu carried no loyalty towards Aang. It seemed like it was just yesterday... Aang needed recruits for his armies, and the enlisting bats were just not enough. He had dragged young batlings from their families, and tore families apart.

Bianfu was one of those bats. If anyone was going to start this, it would be him...

Bianfu launched into the air, streaking towards the prototyping rooms.

Shen sighed, then smiled, listening to the flutter of wings. He uttered a silent prayer that he had correctly judged the bat's character.

A yawn made it's way to Shen's beak, which he struggled to repress. He was so tired...but he could not rest. So much depended on that bat, so much...

* * *

"We toiled for the past ten weeks on those weapons!" a bat exclaimed, banging it's fist on the table, "We worked TOGETHER! And Aang will just brush all OUR work for himself, him and his elites."

The bats were holding an emergency (completely unauthorized) powwow, discussing the situation. In the bat-clans, the elites were the only ones seen. They got all the glory, they got all the power. But when something went wrong, it was the average working-class bats that bore the brunt of the blame. This caused much discontent among the lower ranks of bats, but they always kept it to themselves. Why? Because the class of a bat was decided by their physical strength. Only the strongest bats were chosen to be elites, and the elites ruled. The working-class bats were so much weaker than the elites, that a revolution would never succeed. But now, with the creation of a weapon which did not need large amounts of strength to be destructive...

"The peacock has given us a way!" the bat continued, "And I say we take it!"

A sound of murmuring passed round the table, as several bats voices there opinions at once.

"There's only one launcher!"

"We haven't got the numbers!"

"Yeah, and who would lead us, even if we did manage to overthrow Aang?"

"Shen would."

The last voice silenced the others, as a new bat stepped downwards from the ceiling. The bats gathered around the table drew their blades, ready to fight. Dissension in the ranks was not tolerated, if these bats were so much as suspected of having "rebellious thoughts" they could as well say goodbye to their lives.

The new bat raised it's wings, showing the plaid coat: it was not an elite. Several of the bats relaxed, but a few remained on their feet.

The bat strode forward, nervous, but determined.

"Shen would lead us."

The gathering of bats voiced their disapproval. Be led by a bird? Never!

The bat sighed, then continued, "Who knows more about these weapons? No one. And who is the one giving us this rare chance? Him. How could we NOT follow him?"

Another bat at the table responded. "He is a BIRD, Bianfu! Bats do not follow birds, it would be going against our nature!"

Bianfu shook his head. "He protected me from Aang. He protected all of you! And how do you repay him?"

"He is a bird!" another bat chimed in, "We cannot follow him."

"He has given us his life's work!" Bianfu responded, his ears going back against his head, "he has poured his life into it! As he made the weapon, for US, he has been slowly dying! If that does not prove that he is better than Aang, I don't know what does!"

Bats, knowing nothing about birds and molting habits, had interpreted Shen's molt as a life-drain, showing that as Shen gave life to these weapons, he lost life of his own.

"Bianfu is right!" a small, high-pitched voice piped from the back of the table, as a small bat stood up, "Shen has done more for us than Aang ever has!"

The small bat sat back down quickly, as row upon row of eyes turned to him. The bats pondered for a while, but eventually came back down to the same answer.

"He is a bird," a large fruit bat said, crossing his wings, "Bats do not follow birds. It would be a blatant disregard for the instructions of our great ancestor, Long."

Bianfu clapped his palm to his face. "The peacock is wise. He knows many things, things that are far beyond our comprehension. He knows how to make metal burn like wood, and how to make pictures of fire," he looked around.

"If he is that wise, let him take care of himself," The fruit bat replied.

"He is tired!" Bianfu hissed, "Can you not see his appearance?"

The fruit bat was unimpressed. "He is a descendant of Fenghuang! He cannot be trusted!"

Bianfu smiled, as something came to mind. "The peacock is wise, that is true?"

The bats all nodded, that much was indisputable.

Bianfu grinned. "Well," he began, "He told me the truth. Fenghuang and Long, our ancestors, were not rivals, but partners, a harmonious joining of opposites to form the perfect unity! Just think, with his wisdom and power, and our numbers and cunning, we could rule, not only China, but the WORLD!"

The bats pondered this. They had often wondered why the dragon even had a rival in the Phoenix, when the dragon was so much larger and stronger. This seemed to make much more sense.

"But..." the fruit bat questioned, "How do we know which one is true?"

"Shen says we cannot," Bianfu replied, "We can only choose our belief, and try to live it."

The bats murmured in approval,

as they each lapsed into silence. Bianfu took advantage of their moment of indecision.

"Come on, how many of you have ever been helped by Aang? How many have ever been repaid for dragging us away from our homes?"

The murmuring increased. For such a little guy, Bianfu was good at arguing.

"How many here would like to see HIM writhing beneath us?"

Suddenly, each and every one of the bats on the table let out an enormous roar.

Bianfu understood. These were bats from every variety, every species. It was a spectrum of bat beliefs and cultures. But they were all united by a common bond: the hate for the bat-Lord Aang.

Bianfu decided to play on that common bond. "That peacock has finally given us a chance to do it. I say he should be the one we fight for."

The small bat stood up again. "I still say you are right! Shen has proven himself as Aang never has. He deserves to lead us!"

Row upon row of eyes turned back to him, and the small bat prepared to sit back down again, but suddenly, another stood up.

"He is right! The Fenghuang and Long, working together for a common good! We stand united! He is the wisest one in the cave. He gave us this chance, he should be the one to lead us in it!"

And every bat there cheered.

An agreement was quickly reached. Shen would not die, not if they could help it!

The small group of bats set to work, making copies of the new launcher early, set aside for a very special purpose...

Amidst all the noise, no one noticed a swirl of red, white, and black feathers, trailing away into the darkness...

* * *

_Author's note: REVOLUTION! Get out your flags, muskets, and pitchforks, people, 'cos next chapter, we will see the fall of Aang._

_Oh, and on the odd chance that you want to use the AWFUL song/poem thingies in the first part, please ask me first. I made that myself (you can tell by the corniness). _

_Yeah, and Shen pulled out what was left of his train. If that doesn't show that he's devoted to his change, I don't know what does._

_But don't worry, all you Shen fangirls, it will be grown back by the end of the story._

_Also, to Alpha Tiger, about the review he left to my story 'Circling Flames': I know that they are clouded leopards in the show, but they were originally going to be lynxes, and I liked that better. Also, about the age, I was not aware that they said that Su was the eldest, but I like the thought of the youngest being the most evil. Seriously, why is it always the oldest child which is evil? I'm the oldest in my family, but I'm not evil... But anyway, thanks for the review, (the only one the story has so far) I appreciate that you took the time to actually read and find flaws in my narrative._

_And now, please review. If you do not, I have to say this: WHY THE HECK ARE YOU REASING AND NOT REVIEWING, WHEN IT CLEARLY SAYS 'review' AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE?_

_Um... *Takes deep breath* sorry about that. Until next time, goodbye!_


	37. Overturned

Chapter Thirty-Eight

It was another perfect day, as the whole eastern side of China was wrapped in sunshine. It was a day that begged to be enjoyed, to be used.

However, in the depths of the cave, where the bats worked within walls of stone, sunlight had never reached. The beautiful day went unnoticed, as Shen slowly made his way to the throne room, mixed emotions flowing through his head. Aang would be happy to hear his weapon was ready, and all that was left was to mass-produce it. But of course, Shen would be no longer needed. But, even if he died, it was comforting to know that his weapon would be used to take China. Take China it would, as Shen seriously doubted that an army carrying this new weapon would be defeatable.

When it happened, the world would see the light, and the fire-weapons would become the weapon of the world.

Shen sighed. The soothsayer had said that his weapon would become great, but that his name might be forgotten. Was this what she meant? That he would do all this work, only for the bats to grab the glory?

Who cares. If Shen died, he couldn't care less about who gets the glory. He could see his parents again, and perhaps finally tell them how he felt about them... Would they be proud? Would they smile, and tell him they loved him, and were only exiling him to protect him from the small-minded morons that wouldn't understand... Or would they look on him with those same disappointed stares?

A tear fell from Shen's eye, running along his beak, before dropping to the ground. Shen stared at the small wet spot on the ground for a few seconds,

before looking up. The door to the throne room stood in front of him, more imposing than ever.

The two guards acknowledged him, opening the door for him to enter.

Shen walked stately into the throne room, eyeing everything. That bragging pompous imbecile, Aang, had the audacity to exactly mimic the emperors throne room, only in miniature.

Aang sat in his throne, that same smug expression on his face.

Aang found the peacock's bedraggled appearance amusing, but more than that, he basked in the expression on Shen's face. This once mighty adversary, this proud royal bird, was bowing in respect to a bat, an animal considered lower than dung. It filled him with wicked exhilaration.

He addressed the peacock. "Greetings, Shen. The two weeks I gave you are up, I trust you have come to tell me my weapon is ready?"

Shen smiled slightly, before answering. "As a matter of fact, Lord Aang..." Shen spat out the title, humiliating as it was to him, "Your weapon is ready. I am here to ask if you would like to see it in action?"

Aang raised his eyebrows. They were finished already? He was surprised. But yes, he did want to see his weapon in action.

"I believe I will, peacock..." Aang muttered, standing up, "Tell them to prepare for me."

"As you wish," Shen replied, turning to leave.

What a complete imbecile... Shen's thoughts as he left were not exactly peaceful.

He made his way to the testing area, and hailed a bat in the hallways. The bat turned, and regarded him.

"Go and tell the bats in the testing arena to prepare for Lord Aang," Shen instructed.

The bat frowned. "Do it yourself, bird," he flew off.

Shen glared after the diminishing brown speck. Stupid elites...

He continued his walk himself. Aang would be surprised at his new weapon's destructive potential... Shen considered using the bat-lord as a target, but thought better of it. He rushed down the hallways, leaving the throne room behind him.

A small brown bat had watched the exchange, and flew towards the testing rooms also, taking a shortcut.

He flew into the testing rooms, searching for a familiar face...there! He flew to a bat leaning over some design, and tapped him on the shoulder.

Bianfu turned around. "What is it?"

"Aang is coming, he wants to check on the progress of his weapon," the little bat replied.

Bianfu looked worried.

"Do you think they'll be any trouble?"

"No, I don't think he'll try anything yet..."

"Good!" Bianfu sighed, "Keep on alert..."

Suddenly, Shen burst into the room, looking somewhat angry.

"Well everyone, it looks like Aang has FINALLY decided to come to a demonstration!" he said, clapping his wings, "So let's get everything ready, shall we?"

Everyone in the room scrambled to set everything up for a test fire, moving tables, and setting up fences.

Shen busied himself by rushing here and there, shouting instructions. The bats hurried to obey; Shen was always grumpy after his visits with Aang.

"Move that over there! No, over there!" Shen whirled, then proceeded to instruct another bat in the setting up of the explosive launch caps.

Shen muttered to himself. Just one more short day, and he wouldn't have to put up with this anymore...

After a few minutes of mad rushing, the room was ready. The bats were lined up in neat rows, with a large clear area for shooting. Although testing was complete, several bats still had scrolls handy, ready to record the data for the launching.

Now, all they had to do was wait for Aang.

Shen tapped his foot impatiently. Aang certainly was taking his time... Where was he? Was he playing the fool with him?

Aang WAS taking his time. He loved to make people wait, it showed his importance, in wasting other's time. Eventually, he decided that he had waited long enough, and stood up to leave.

Making his way down the tunnels, he smiled to himself. This was all so simple, that peacock's plan was run into the ground with so little effort... He held all the cards, controlled all the circumstances... What could possibly go wrong? He had his armies, the loyalty of his bats, and most of all, he had his elites. Soon, he thought with a grin, soon the elites will get a new weapon to play around with...

The testing rooms were just ahead. He commanded a bat to open the door for him, and entered.

"I'm here! Now let's see what this little peashooter can do..." he looked around, impressed, almost against his will. He had never seen this room so organized, the bats lined up so neatly...not even his elites lined up like that. How had Shen managed that?

"Well? Let's get this test on with!?"

"Of course..." Shen muttered, stepping forward. "You will soon see..." he turned to the bat holding the launcher, "Take aim!" the words were so familiar...

The bat steadied the launcher against his shoulder, aiming for a circle on the far wall.

When Shen was convinced that he was finished aiming, he gave the order.

"FIRE!"

The bat pulled a trigger, causing a hammer to smack against the launching cap. The rocket shrieked outwards, flying towards the target...suddenly, the projectile ignited, as a long blue trail erupted from its rear. The projectile picked up speed, and began spinning uncontrollably.

Aang squinted. The fiery missile, streaking towards it's target, surely looked impressive...

The rocket slammed into the wall, about a foot away from the circle target.

Aang was about to smirk, when a deafening explosion tore through the room, the shockwave blasting against his face.

The other bats had braced themselves, Aang had not. As a result, he was blown off his feet, landing sprawling on his back.

He climbed back to his feet, and goggled, looking at the target. Where it used to be, a crater now scarred the wall of the cave. The target was completely gone, despite the rocket missing it by a foot.

Aang realized that his mouth was open, and closed it abruptly.

"So..." Shen smirked, noticing the bat's astonishment, "Did the 'peashooter' live up to your expectations?"

Aang stuttered, then answered. "It was more... destructive than I had anticipated, but that was to be expected..." He stopped, and looked up. "I am willing to admit that I misjudged you, peacock..." He squinted, and looked down. "You have done a fine job, and I...and I would like you to stay with us."

Shen's eyebrows raised, and he cocked his head slightly.

"I would love to..." he muttered, then said louder "Thank you. I accept your offer!"

"Good, good!" Aang smiled, pumping Shen's wings.

"Er...Welcome?" Shen said hesitatingly, surprised by the bat's sudden display of friendliness.

"That was an eye-opening experience," Aang continued, "But I must be going now. You understand, don't you?"

"Of...course..." Shen stuttered, still somewhat suspicious.

Aang grinned, then turned away, flying up the tunnel. As Shen watched him go, he looked at his wing.

"Fool..." he muttered to himself.

Aang landed in the throne room, and sat down in his throne. He looked at the bowl of water at the feet of his throne. Stooping down, he dipped his wing in it, washing where he had shook wings with the peacock.

"Fool..." he muttered to himself.

He sat a while, thinking. After a while, he apparently made up his mind, as he clapped his hands, summoning a bat to him.

"Bring me about five elites...tell them to come to me, and be quick about it..." he said, waving his wings dismissively. The bat was about to leave, but Aang called him back. "Oh, and bring me some rice. I am getting hungry."

Several minutes later, Aang regarded the elites lined up in front of him, as he ate his rice. He ate it slowly, making sure that not a single grain was wasted. This was a power thing, it showed that he was the ruler here, and there was no doubt about it. Swallowing the last mouthful of rice, he finally spoke.

"Elites?"

The elites straightened up, and saluted.

"Good," Aang muttered, straightening himself in his throne.

"Now, I have something I want you to do for me tonight..." he paused, stroking his chin, while eyeing the elites, "You are, of course, aware that the peacock finished his weapon late yesterday?"

"Yes sir..." an elite affirmed.

"You are also aware," Aang continued, "That this peacock is an extremely dangerous individual?"

The elites were aware of this, but they shook their heads. "He is no threat to you, Lord Aang."

Aang half frowned, half smiled. "Of course not..." he muttered, before turning his attention back to his elites, "Nevertheless, any discontent within the cave can be fatal. Therefore, I want you to kill the peacock tonight."

The way Aang said it made even the elite's blood run cold. He said it so...offhand, as if there was nothing unusual about it.

"K-kill him, sir?" an elite asked.

"Yes," Aang answered, "You may take as many bats as you like, you remember what he did when we met?"

The elites nodded.

"Good. Now go, and do not fail me."

The elites saluted, and left the room.

* * *

A small brown bat fluttered away from the throne room, heading towards the testing rooms. Bianfu and the others would want to hear about this!

Shen sighed, sitting in his observing position, as the bats began the process of mass-producing the weapons. He was not quite sure how many had already been made, he guessed around five. It still amazed him how simple those things were to make, compared to his old cannons. The production would last for weeks, but the bats worked without ceasing, as they neared their goal.

A fluttering sound reached Shen's ears, and he turned his head towards it. Bianfu stood there, standing silently, also watching the construction.

Inside, however, the bat was in a mortal battle against himself. Should he tell the peacock what he had just heard? Of course he should...but what he doesn't know won't hurt him. The bats had already thought up a little 'surprise' for the elite assassins themselves...

But the peacock, as Bianfu had said so many times before, was very wise. Telling him surely couldn't hurt.

"Lord Shen?" The bat asked nervously.

Shen half-smiled. Lately, the bats had replaced his title of 'bird' with 'sir'. A distinct improvement, if he did say so himself... Bianfu, however, was the only one to call him 'Lord' Shen.

The peacock did not answer, but nodded to show that he heard.

"We overheard a conversation Aang had with his elites..."

"And?" Shen questioned.

"And he's going to kill you. Tonight."

Shen raised his eyebrows. "Personally? I must be dangerous..."

"No..." Bianfu corrected, folding his wings, "He just sent his elites."

"Aaahhh... Shen breathed, tucking his wings behind his back, "I have been expecting this for quite some time."

Bianfu squinted. This peacock's reactions were strange. He didn't seem worried at all.

"There's always someone who wants to kill you," Shen continued, "I'm sure that Aang himself has a few, haters, himself?" he looked sideways at Bianfu.

Bianfu sighed. "You are right. I hold no love for the bat-lord Aang." he looked up at Shen. "A while ago, you asked me who I would side with if you and Aang collided," he closed his eyes, "Well, I have made my choice, and am going to live it."

Shen smiled fully. The little bat had come out of his shell, he was so different from the stuttering, whiny bat that he had been those short weeks ago. With the right circumstance, he could turn out just as Shen himself had, a cold-blooded killer, with no thought towards the sacred fire of life. Shen's eyes lowered to their usual half-lidded expression. That was not who he was, really. He was like that because he had no other choice.

"I thought you might," he said, giving his attention back to the bat that stood beside him.

"And I am not alone in my beliefs, either. There are many who would like to see Aang writhing beneath their feet."

"I find that easy to beleive..." Shen muttered placidly, "I too, would like nothing more than his death."

Bianfu started. Did nothing phase the peacock? That was reassuring, but also a little worrying...

"Well..." Bianfu continued, "Me and my brethren have come up with a plan..."

Shen smirked. "I had a feeling you would..."

* * *

The day slowly darkened, and night began it's conquest over China. The two forces of night and day clashed briefly, leaving the sky a brilliant red, before day relinquished it's hold on earth, for now.

The beauty of the world around was lost on the bats, however. A dark mood seemed to have settled itself over the whole cave system, and very few knew the reason why.

Shen bade farewell to the bats under him, as the tumult of the construction began to die down. It was time to retire for the night, yet Shen stayed in his loft, just a few minutes later than normal. He, for all his efforts to hide it, was nervous. Who would not be? Knowing that an assassination attempt was to be

made tonight made him edgy.

The familiarly soothing sound of violin music echoed throughout the cavern, but no one else but him heard it.

Shen smiled, as a mist of light and darkness gathered around him. Wings slid around his body, and he heard her voice in his ear.

"Ohhhh... Shen, I've missed you..."

Shen made a small pleased noise. No one but Nehsa was allowed to touch him like this, and he enjoyed it. He would never admit it, but he had missed her as well.

"You certainly took your time getting here..." he muttered instead.

"I was held up." Nehsa replied, frowning. "You have been thinking too hard, been too busy for me to get in."

Shen ignored her statement. "It doesn't matter. I need you for this, Nehsa... I need all the crazy I can get."

Nehsa laughed. "I certainly am crazy..."

"You certainly are..." Shen said. He used a different tone on her than he did with anyone else, his tone was not condescending, but friendly, even affectionate. This what Shen would sound like if he had a female partner.

"Shen..." Nehsa groaned, "You never know when to stop with the sarcasm, do you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," Shen said loftily.

"Well, I will help any way I can," Nehsa reassured.

"Thank you," Shen breathed, "That means a lot to me..."

"Shen!" Nehsa hissed, "Did you think I wouldn't help you?"

"No one else would..." Shen muttered, "Except for that little bat. I have no one, except you, Nehsa. Don't ever leave me..."

"I will never leave you for as long as you want me," Nehsa answered.

"Come on then, it's getting late..." Nehsa simpered, making a motherly expression, "We had better be going now, or else your bat friend will get suspicious..."

As they started to walk, Shen retorted. "My friend? My friend who wants to kill me?"

Nehsa looked genuinely shocked. "Kill you?"

"Yes, he has ordered an assassination attempt on me for tonight. He will have to fail."

Nehsa's face showed pure rage. "I will KILL that bat!" she snarled.

"You will get your chance, Nehsa," Shen stated grimly, "You will get your chance..."

Shen looked up, and opened the door to his chamber. The two peafowl stepped inside, and waited.

* * *

Ghan muttered to himself, as he crept down the hallways, taking the pathway that led to the peacock's chamber. This was pure madness...late at night, on an assassination mission! Sure, that was all fine and dandy, if you sent one bat, silently, that was fine! They were even good at it! But to send TEN of Aang's strongest elites, not to mention his second in command, all at once? Yeah, that was going to be REAL silent. Who were they going up against, anyway? An old peacock, who was probably asleep anyway, not to even mention the fact that he was completely unarmed...

Sometimes, he doubted Aang's skill as an attack planner. Sure, he was able to steal the sacred scrolls, but he had his entire ARMY with him, and the Jade palace was empty at the time. The Furious five had managed to steal them back, from right under their noses too! They didn't have to distract the army, they just barged through.

He was leading this 'campaign' as Aang insisted on calling it, no matter how many times he was told to the contrary. What a joke. He, Ghan, the commander of the armies, was assigned an assassination mission... Aang had really put his foot in it this time. By allowing the peacock to stay in public, he had practically given his word. To kill him in any other way than a silent assassination would severly dampen his reputation with the troops, and the results would be catastrophic.

Ghan caught himself, and reprimanded himself harshly.

Any distracting thoughts right now could be disastrous.

Signaling the 'all clear' to the bats behind him, the group of ten silently flew down the hallways, being careful to avoid being seen. The group split up, five going around to cover Shen's back door, and Ghan and the others continuing to the main door.

In just a few short minutes, far too short for comfort, Ghan and his bats were pressed against either side of Shen's front door. They all waited tensely, for Ghan to signal the attack.

Ghan took a deep breath, steeling himself. This should be easy, right? Then why did he have than annoying feeling that something was going to go wrong?

He looked sideways, and noticed a bat eyeing him curiously, probably wondering what was taking so long.

"Something the matter?" the bat asked.

"No, and shut your trap, Jai!" Ghan whispered harshly. He took another deep breath, then spoke again. "Let's go!"

An elite flew up, and gripped the door handle. Ghan made a sliding motion with his wing. The signal. The elite pulled open the door, and all four bats rushed in, pressing themselves against the walls of the room. The elite holding the door slipped inside, and closed the door behind him.

Immediately, Ghan knew something was wrong. The lights were still lit in here...and the back door was open, but everything was silent.

"Good evening, gentlemen!" the voice caused all the bats to whirl, facing the peacock, who stood with his cloak wrapped around him, and a sadistic smile on his face, "What brings you here so late at night? I have no more plans for you to take..." suddenly, Shen swirled sideways, thrusting his beak in Ghan's face, "Although... perhaps you're here to take...something else?"

Ghan gasped. He knew! The peacock knew!

Shen whirled away, so that there was about five feet between him and the bats. "Aren't you Aang's number two?" he asked Ghan, still smiling hideously.

Ghan snapped out of his trance. "Get him!" he yelled, flinging himself at Shen.

The peacock sidestepped easily, and Ghan watched in astonishment as he dodged repeated strikes from all four of the other elites. He flapped into the air, and lunged at the back of Shen's neck. Shen swirled his cloak in the way, sending Ghan sprawling into the ground.

"Tell me, how does it feel to be the shadow of a shadow?" Shen questioned, a smirk on his face.

Ghan swished his blade upwards, but Shen stood on his wing, grabbing and throwing the bat into the far wall.

"It must be infuriating, to know that no matter what you do, you will never be anything more than a shadow," Shen continued, as he showily dodged a strike from a wing blade that would have severed his neck.

"That is nothing. At least I'm not his puppy, having to fawn over his feet to get a peek at some scrolls!" Ghan retorted, getting into his stance.

"Are you wiling to follow Aang to the grave, until you are finally given your reward?" Shen smiled, jumping over an elite, and landing in front of Ghan, "I think not."

Ghan attacked without warning, his blade searing the air. Shen leaned backwards, the blade passing inches away from his chest. Ghan attempted to follow his strike up with the other wing, but Shen whipped his cloak in the bat's face, causing him to lose balance. Shen pinned him down with his feet.

"Seems I was wrong. Very well, die you will..." Shen spat in the bat's face. Suddenly, an elite struck at Shen's legs, forcing him to leap upwards to avoid it. Ghan, released, flew sideways, and barreled towards the peacock. Suddenly, a flash of silver in the avian's wings caught his eye, and he flung himself sideways to avoid the wing-blade that whizzed past him, burning itself in the wall.

Shen landed, feet apart. A long curved katana was held ready in his wings, seemingly appearing from nowhere. Ghan, from the ceiling, watched as he effortlessly overwhelmed the other four elites with his katana.

Where had he got the katana from? He had not been allowed weapons, and every bat knew that... A chilling thought occurred to him. Was it possible that...

Shen pivoted on the katana, swinging his legs against a bat's face, before spinning himself upwards, doing a handstand on the top of the sword. He brought his feet down on the back of a bat's neck, then brought the katana swinging in a wide arc upwards, spinning, and bringing it back downwards towards another elite. The elite dodged, parrying the blow with a wing, while leaping towards the peacock's legs, only to have a cloak whipped across his face.

Ghan dived at the avian, his bat-call breaking the air. Shen blocked with his katana, simultaneously swinging his leg upwards against the bat's face.

Ghan absorbed the blow, and slid down the sword on his wing-blades, reaching the bird's neck. He sliced... And was slammed into a wall, still feeling the sting of the peacock's wing against his cheek.

Shen laughed, and spat at the bat. "You must see now, that you have failed...failed!"

"I cannot fail," Ghan answered, "Ya' can only fight for so long, and when you tire..."

Shen whirled at the bat, bringing the katana slicing towards the top of his head. Ghan ducked, and backflipped into the air, swinging his wings in a whirlwind of fast-paced blows.

Shen flawlessly blocked each and every one of them, before launching into a furious attack of his own, his blade seeming to be a silver arc, so fast was it's movement.

Ghan did not waste time blocking or dodging, the peacock was too fast. Instead, he leapt into the air, gaining altitude, then reversing into a whirring dive at the peacock, his two blades making swift butterfly patterns in the air.

Shen attempted to swipe sideways, but the katana was caught by Ghan's wing, and flung away out of reach.

Ghan smiled, slowing his attack, and dropped to the floor. The other four bats dropped down behind him.

"Well," he smirked, "Who's failed now?"

Shen raised his eyebrows. "Where's the rest of you?"

"The rest of us?" Ghan questioned, "What does that-..." he stopped. Where were the other five bats? They were supposed to come around the back door... His eyes darted to the back door, hanging open. What had happened?

"And as an answer to your question..." Shen cackled dementedly, "The answer is still you," a wicked glint came into his eyes, as a rushing sound traveled from the back door, "Perhaps those are your reinforcements now..."

Suddenly, the cavern was filled with rushing wings, as about thirty bats flew in, and lined up in front of Shen.

Laughing echoed around the cavern.

"A worker revolution? Seriously?" Jai continued to laugh, "I'm sorry, but you're going to need a LOT more of them if you hope to take on the elites!"

Shen's smirk never dropped a millimeter. "That's what the others said..." he hissed cooly.

Ghan examined the situation. What were those bats around the back holding? Some kind of shaft... His eyes widened.

"Jai..."

"Just the five of us can take on that entire mess of you sorry scrap!" Jai continued, still laughing.

"Jai!" Ghan shouted.

"If that's your plan, you're just about done!" Jai smirked.

Jai wasn't listening. Ghan backed away, before turning in an all-out rush towards the door. "JAI!" he bellowed, "SHUT UP, AND GET DOWN!"

"What?" Jai questioned, confused, "What are you talk-"

"FIRE!" Shen interrupted.

Ghan pulled open the door, and dived out, as streaks of blue light burst toward Jai and the other elites...

Jai watched the pointed, twisting cone heading straight towards him... and then everything went completely white, then completely black...

Ghan heard the explosions, and raced back down the tunnels, not quite sure where he was heading. He made an abrupt turn, deciding his destination: the throne room.

Aang slurped his tea leisurely, enjoying the evening. His victory was near, his army was even now mass-producing the most dangerous weapon in China's history, and that peacock, that white thorn in his side, was either going to die tonight, or dead already.

Suddenly, his relaxing evening was burst into by Ghan, panting and frantic, throwing himself into the room.

"Workers revolt..." the commander gasped, "Shen has rallied some workers...they are revolting..."

"Finally, something we agree on..." Aang muttered.

"This is no joke, my lord!" Ghan screeched, "They killed all nine of the other elites, and they have the new weapons!"

Aang bolted from his chair as if he had been stung. "Well? Get the other elites! Put down the revolt!"

The screech echoed throughout the cave. A call to arms... Every bat gathered their weapons, searching around frantically.

Ghan rushed to the hallway, with fifty elites on his tail...and was thrown back, flattening himself against the walls of the cave, as five more blue trails screeched by, slamming into the wall and exploding. Several workers, taking courage at the bravery of their comrades, flung themselves at lone elites, hunting them down like animals. They had punched a lasting hole in the myth of elite immortality...

The whole thing was coming down into chaos. It was impossible to tell which workers were revolting, and which were not.

"Kill them all!" Aang commanded, "I want them all dead! Every last one!"

As the elites started to hew down the workers, more and more workers started banding together to protect themselves. An elite struck down a worker, slashing downwards, only to be felled as a dozen more workers piled onto him.

Ghan cursed to himself, calling the elites behind him into a circle. "Do not split up!" he instructed. The elites nodded.

Ghan swept his wing upwards, dealing a fatal blow to a worker's chest, as an elite next to him engaged two at once. He turned to assist, kicking one in the chest and slicing the other's belly.

He grimly surveyed the situation. The only way he could think to stop this whole thing...was to kill that white demon, the peacock... But was that the way? If Aang was gone, that would stop the whole thing as well...

A blue bolt slammed into the ground next to them, and they all cowered as the shockwave tore through the room.

The sounds of clashing steel had filled the cavern, and now they stopped. The sudden silence was eerie...

Ghan looked up, trying to see why everyone had stopped fighting. Then he saw it. Standing above him, at the entrance to the throne room, with all thirty of his bats around him, stood Shen. And Ghan could see where he got the title of "Lord". His whole air was superior, as if he owned this whole thing. Ghan and Shen locked eyes, and the peacock smiled, then turned to Aang, who was standing next to Ghan.

Shen laughed, as Aang started to retreat back into the throne room.

"Fire!" Shen bellowed, pointing towards Aang. Five blue bolts streaked towards the bat-lord, and Aang turned and flew for his life.

Ghan took advantage of the fact that the rocket-launchers were no longer loaded, and called his elites together. "AATTAACCK!" He called out, as he and the remaining elites flung themselves at Shen and the rebels, the cause of this whole thing...

Aang was in blind terror. Throwing himself behind the throne, he hid, and listened. His brain made pictures out of the sound, and he was able to watch the battle, and gave himself a smile when he saw that his elites were winning... But then, another sound pervaded his thoughts... The sound of footsteps.

"AANG!" a voice called out, shattering Aang's sound-vision.

Aang slowly turned his head, peeking around the throne... And saw Bianfu, carrying a rocket-launcher, with an absolutely murderous look in his eyes.

"Let's finish this!" The little bat hissed, bracing himself.

Aang almost laughed in relief. "You? You alone? For a moment there, I was worried..."

Bianfu aimed the launcher. "You should be."

Aang's eyes widened, and he threw himself sideways, as the blue streak of the missile streaked past him. While Bianfu was reloading, he drew his katana, and lunged at the much smaller bat.

Bianfu saw this coming, and used the launcher as a club, swinging it with astonishing force.

Aang, expecting an easy kill, was not ready, and the launcher struck him in the side of the head, sending him flying sideways, his katana clattering to the floor. He staggered to his feet, and touched his fingers to his head. They became wet with blood. He turned his head back to Bianfu, in time to see the little bat click a rocket into the launcher, and point it at him. Aang swept up his sword, and took to the air, making figure-eights in the air to throw off Bianfu's aim.

Ghan, in the midst of the heavy fighting, saw this, and broke away, searing through the air to Aang's assistance.

Aang was growing tired, and frantic...where was he to go? There! He headed towards a shaft, which led to the outsides of the cave system. Perfect! He made a dash towards it.

In the seconds he was not looping around, Bianfu drew a bead on him, lining him up in the sights...

Aang streaked towards the shaft. To his dismay, there was an elite standing in front of it, guarding it. He turned his head, to see Bianfu bringing the weapon to bear. No time to push the other bat out the way... Aang flashed his sword in a wide arc, cutting the other bat down, in a last-ditch attempt to escape...

It was in vain. The rocket slammed into the wall next to him, and the explosion blew him backwards, out of the shaft, into a dazed heap on the throne room floor.

Ghan saw a bat fall, and flew up to him. To his surprise, it was not Aang.

"Shuai?"

Shuai's eyes fluttered open. "Y-you were right, Ghan..." he mumbled, "Aang was not to be...trusted..."

"What happened?" Ghan asked furiously. "Tell me what happened!"

"Aang...cut me down..." Shuai muttered, "You were right...you were right..."

Shuai's eyes closed, and he did not respond again. He was dead.

"That monster!" Ghan hissed angrily.

Aang had killed the single most loyal bat in the cave, to save his own sorry skin. Ghan was no longer Aang's friend. He would not fight for a a backstabbing coward...

"STOP!" he yelled, "DISENGAGE!"

The elites turned to him in confusion, but they obeyed.

"Lord Shen?" Ghan asked, searching for the peacock, "We surrender!"

Shen strode forward, his eyes locked on the commander. "Should I trust you, bat?"

Ghan ignored this, and bowed. "We are your troops to command. We will no longer serve Aang."

The elites, seeing their commander bowing, followed suit. Shen laughed, and the creepy sound echoed around.

"That is a wise choice, commander," Shen said, putting emphasis on the word 'commander', "It would seem I was not wrong. No one can remain a shadow."

"It would seem so," Ghan replied.

"Now, for Aang..." Shen muttered to himself, "This should be fun..."

He strode towards the dazed bat, as two other bats dragged the former lord to his feet. Shen drew a blade. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for this, bat?"

Aang did not answer.

"Good answer." Shen smirked, "I had lost count as well."

That night, the cave commemorated the gaining of it's new leader with the funeral of the old one. Shen sat down on the throne, almost reverently.

He looked around over his new people, the bats. Some were cheering, some applauding, and some looked rather glum. But they were all HIS. His to use. His to control.

Now, his dream of taking China was once more no longer a dream.

"Finally," he said to himself, "Finally."

* * *

_Author's note: did you catch the irony there? Ghan stopped working for Aang, because he showed, in killing one of his own men, that he was a monster. But, in Shen's battle with Po and the Masters at the harbor, he does the very same thing. Obviously, the bats do not know their new leader as well as they think they do._

_And thank you, Reluctant Warrior, for that glowing comment you made yesterday. Welcome to the story._

_And, what will Shen do next? Will he continue his aspirations of ruling China, or will he make a... Side-stop, for revenge on a certain panda?_

_Keep reading! Review, review! _


	38. Potential idles

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Wow..."

Po was speechless. He had never seen a peacock without a train before...

"Don't stare, Po..." Shen replied, looking himself over somewhat shamefully, "It happens to every bird."

"Yeah, but... Your train is gone! You look so much...um... nicer? Friendlier? Now that your train has fallen out..."

"It didn't fall out," Shen said in fake disdain, "I pulled them out."

"You did what?!" Viper chimed in.

"Yes, they were becoming an annoyance." Shen did not think it worthwhile to say what that symbolized, or the massive step he had taken in doing so. It also did not occur to him just how much he had changed. Only five months ago, the thought of appearing in front of a panda without his train would have set him into convulsions.

Now, the very panda of his worst nightmares stood in front of him, and was staring. Shen was becoming self-conscious.

"Well? Are we going to do something, or are we all going to stand here and just stare at me?"

Po snapped out of it, and stared at the ground, ashamed with himself. "Sorry Shen, but you look so different..." he shook his head, "But I did bring some things for you to learn! Are you willing to listen now?"

"I'm ready to listen...Master Po," Shen said haltingly, emphasizing the word 'master'.

Po' jaw dropped. "Are you serious? Did you like, just call me 'Master'?"

"In the Kung Fu sense, not the ownership one..."

"Yeah, I know, but still! Tigress has only ever called me 'Master' like, uh...three times!"

"I'm sure she has done it more than that, Po," Viper interjected, "But that's not the point." she was beaming. There is no greater aspiration than to help someone receive redemption, and it seemed like her and Po were succeeding at it.

"Yeah but... never mind. Let's just get to the lesson."

"Whatever you say, panda," Shen replied with a smile.

"Uh uh uh..from now on, I am 'Master Po,." Po said loftily.

Shen facepalmed. "Pa... Po, there are many things I am ready for, but to call you 'Master' on a regular basis is not one of them."

Viper smiled. "Don't worry Shen, you don't have to go along with that!"

Po glared. Then, his expression changed abruptly, and he stood up straight. "All right, let's begin. Feet apart, tummy in, head erect..."

Shen obeyed these basic instructions without complaining. He had realized that these instructions were not given out of a lack of respect for the peacock's fighting ability, but came from the panda's simplistic character, and his habit of thinking out loud.

The panda moved into his moves, throwing out his arm and spinning around. Shen copied the movements exactly, only milliseconds after.

Viper watched the two warriors together, so different, yet linked together by the congruence of their moves. It warmed her heart, to see that Shen was finally coming to terms with himself. He was an amazing individual, but it took more than that to do what he had done over the last five months. Perhaps he really had come from heaven, and really was obeying instructions. By all means, he could do anything now. The only thing that could stop him, was himself.

"Hi yah! Yah! Take the thundah!" Po kept up a play-by-play commentary of each and every one of his moves, but wasn't all THAT annoying.

_"Since when did I not get angry about things like that?"_ Shen thought to himself proudly, _"I really have come far. Perhaps I am getting patient...wow..soon, I could be a regular Po."_

the thought oh him, jumping up and down and heavily overusing the word 'awesome' formed in his mind, and an odd scratchy feeling formed in his chest. He struggled to control it, but it only got stronger and stronger, forcing his way up his throat. He collapsed to his knees, as puffs of air pushed loudly through his beak.

"What's with you?" Po asked concernedly, leaning over somewhat stiffly. He never was very good at leaning... "What's wrong?"

"I-I Don't... I don't know!" Shen screeched, as his gasps began to recede. His voice had a peculiar tone to it though, which told Po everything.

"Shen... are you laughing? Are you seriously laughing?" Po asked incredulously.

Something about the way Po said that struck Shen as funny, and he burst out into another burst of uncontrollable laughter.

Laughter is infectious, and soon Po was on the ground, laughing as hard as Shen. "Why are we laughing?" he somehow managed to get out between bursts.

Viper felt laughter creeping up on her, for no apparent reason. "Y-you guys! What's so funny?" she asked.

"You are, Po!" Shen heaved, forcing his breath under control, "I was just thinking about.. about you, and I burst out laughing! I haven't done that in SUCH a long time..." he trailed off. He had not laughed earnestly in such a long time.

Why was it that he had thought that showing emotions was weakness? More specifically, he now realized how very much of a hypocrite he was. Showing emotions such as laughter, happiness, sorrow, greif, was weakness, but showing anger was not? What was with that?

"Well... Well, I must have been doing something really funny..." Po stated, getting to his feet and brushing his belly off.

"Sure..." Shen muttered, feeling embarrassed somewhat. He pushed the feeling back, and stood up as well. "It was not about you, per se, but about me acting like you... What's happened to my emotions? I used to be able to control them better than this, I don't understand it..."

"The shell is finally coming undone," Viper said simply.

No one spoke for several minutes, as Shen proccessed what Viper had just said. He hoped she was right... This was the most worthwhile thing he had ever done in his life, he hoped it would not fail like all the other things. He, now that he was close, realized how desperately he wanted to change, to be rid of himself and all his wickedness. And he was finally achieving that goal.

"Po..." he began, smiling to himself. He had called Po, 'Po' instead of 'Panda' as if he had been doing it all his life. "Po?"

"Yeah?" Po answered, stretching, ready to begin the training again.

_"Thank you. Thank you for all you have done for me, and I promise to repay you sometime."_

That was what Shen wanted to say, but the words would not form on his tongue. Although his pride had been renounced, it still bugged him... And another emotion choked him. Graditude. He was incredibly grateful to this panda, who had saved his life, so to speak. Well, him and the snake. He really didn't give Viper enough credit, probably because she was a female. He had problems admitting that a female could do anything right...

_"Note to self: work on that."_

He could not get the words of graditude to form, could not get them out. This was the effect of living with hate and resentment all your life, and then to have it suddennly removed. Shen felt empty, but a good empty, if that makes any sense.

So he swallowed them back down, and said a replacement.

"Nothing... I just wanted to... Nevermind," he sighed. Pathetic. He was certainly no genius when it came to words in tight circumstances... Wait, since when? He was always known for his witty returns and quick thinking. But...always to an enemy, or a rival... never to anyone he cared about. Yes, someone he cares about. He had started to care for these two Masters without even realizing it, and it didn't even make his mad, or afraid that his care would hurt him, let him down. Was this what it felt like to trust?

Trust, a feeling he had long forgotten...but still remembered. Yes, this was trust. Learning to trust, now there was a BIG step, learning that. Not only to trust others, but to trust himself to trust others to get them to trust him, and... now he was just confusing himself.

"Ok. Now, let's see..." Po pulled out his list, looked over it, then chucked it over his shoulder, "You know what? Kung fu isn't taught by a list, it's taught from the heart." he pondered a while, then looked up at Shen. "Do you think you are ready to start learning the scrolls?"

Shen blinked. "The scrolls? You mean, as in, the sacred scrolls, which hold most of the entire store of Kung Fu knowledge in history?"

Po rolled his eyes. The peacock still came off as being somewhat sarcastic. "Yeah duh! What other are there?"

Shen's jaw dropped. The panda was willing to show him those?

"Are...are you allowed to show me those?" he questioned skeptically.

"Um...yeah, Po, you certainly aren't allowed to show him those," Viper stated, uncoiling a little from her rock, "I mean, I'm sure that Shen wouldn't abuse them, but you aren't allowed to go around showing the sacred scrolls to just anybody..."

"Well yeah...I guess, I'm not allowed to SHOW them to him," Po replied, scratching his head, "But there's no rule saying that I can't TELL him what they say!"

"Aahhh..." Shen smirked. The panda was showing cunning now? Was it just him, or was this panda not nearly as stupid as he looked? Seriously, he seemed smarter with each passing week.

"How many of them have you actually learned yet, Po?" Viper asked.

"Aaahhhh..." Po said nervously, pursing his lips, "Not that many..."

"How many?" Viper asked again.

"About...six." Po sighed.

Then, he went and looked stupid again.

"Six? Out of what, Ten thousand?" Shen asked incredulously, "That is somewhat, er, unimpressive?"

"Yeah, well, I can learn some more, now that I have someone to teach... As the wise man said, 'he who learns the most, is he who teaches'," Po bailed, trying to cover for his lack of knowledge in that area, "Anyways, let's get back to today's lessons, eh?"

"Shall we? I would prefer to continue talking about your... extensive knowledge on the sacred scrolls," Shen smiled.

"Lay off, you guys!" Po exclaimed.

The warriors went back to their training, and Shen realized he was happy now, not would be when, but happy NOW. Pleased with that realization, Shen continued his training.

* * *

The cave had returned to its ordinary routine over the past few weeks, and Shen had set ALL the bats, not just the workers, to work producing the new weapons.

He fingered his blades lovingly. Forging them was the first thing he had done, and at last he felt whole again. His throwing knives were nestled back in his belt and sleeves where they belonged, and a new lance was concealed in his robes. Shen darkened at the thought of the lance. It was far inferior to his old one, just a basic guan dao. He did not have the expensive metal he needed to make his old one again, and he was not about to sully it's purity by making inferior copies of it. He now had all the time in the world...he sat down, and began to draw.

A design, that had long been stuck in his head, was now crafted to perfection on the paper.

All he had to do now was wait...

Although, now he could actually have a look at those scrolls. He stood up, and called a bat.

"Bring me the copies of the sacred scrolls," he said mildly.

Soon, he would be truly invincible. Nothing could stop him now, nothing. But was that a good thing? Was the subjugation of China really the way? Sometimes, he still had his doubts. The glory, the respect that would come to him with the title of emperor, really did not seem all that appealing to him. But it was also what he fought for, to make China great, to pay for what he did to it.

The soothsayer said that a warrior of black and white would defeat the peacock who attempts to rule China. He had scoffed at her predictions before, and they had hounded him forever after. But to pay them mind... He had gone to extreme measures to prevent his prophecy from coming true, and that was the very thing that caused them to come true. Where was balance found? Was there no way to stop the future from happening? There had to be! You are the master of your own fate...what a joke. No matter what you did, the fates just played a game with you, taking you round in circles, in a twisted game of irony. Really, there was no one in less control of Shen's life than Shen himself. It seemed like life just... happened, and he just automatically responded.

The bat flew back in, breaking Shen from his thoughts. In his arms, the bat carried scrolls 1-30.

"Very good..." Shen muttered, dismissing the bat. He picked up the sixteenth scroll, and began to read.

He had never before noticed how beautiful these scrolls were. To Shen, things were so much more pretty if they were useful.

* * *

She was a friend... A friend! So why would she be hiding something? Thoughts raced through the felines mind, as she herself raced with the rest of the Five towards town square, where Taotie was showing off 'the end of Kung Fu'...again.

Tigress had met Viper returning from... somewhere, and had greeted her. They had just talked normally, until Tigress pointed out a white feather floating around. Tigress was sure it was from Crane, the poor guy was just getting over his molt, after all, but Viper has seemed so embarrassed... What was she hiding? Who else had white feathers? Perhaps Crane and Viper were hiding 'something' together. Had they been trysting?

Tigress erased the thoughts to the back of her mind, as she landed directly in front of Taotie.

"AHAH! A subject to test upon!" The warthog yelled, aiming a long metal tube connected to some sort of backpack at her, "Now, the world will see that Kung Fu is outdated and useless! And you, Furious Five, will tremble before the awesome power of your arch-nemesis's new super weapon-"

"Enough already, can we just fight and get this over with?" Mantis interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me, I spent a long time preparing this speech." Taotie said disapprovingly, "Now, you will see the awesome power of...the GAS-ket!"

"That's a lame name," Bian Zao, Taotie's not so loyal son, piped in from the corner.

"Hush up. It was all I could think of at such short notice," he pointed the tubes at Tigress again, and pulled some kind of trigger.

The barrel started to swell, and the Furious Five took a step back. That all-too-familiar look of baffled surprise came to the warthog's face.

"Son, did you remember to unblock the service pipes on this thing like I told you to?"

"Service pipes are lame," Bian Zao responded sleepily.

"AAAHHH! This is the last time I trust you with my important inventions!"

Bian Zao's eyes widened, and what looked like a smile crossed his face. "You mean it?" he asked incredulously.

KKKKAAAABBBOOOMMM!

The massive green explosion tore through the square. When all the smelly green smoke had cleared, Taotie was nowhere to be found. How typical.

"Pooah! Yeahhghh..." Mantis coughed, rapidly waving his arms in front of his face. "What a stink!"

"Which one, the gas or you?" Monkey joked, earning himself a glare from the insect. "Never mind..."

They each returned to the palace, and Tigress found her thoughts coming back to mind.

To not trust someone in a group where your going to have to depend your life on them is dangerous, obviously so. Viper was a trusted comrade, she had been with them at the Jade palace for almost twenty years, having arrived as a teenager. Master Shifu preferred his students to begin young, that way they could learn more. She and the tiger had been on unsteady terms at first, Tigress being reluctant to trust anyone, but the friendly snake had eventually wormed her way into Tigress's stony heart, filling a gap that Tigress hadn't known existed, healing a hurt she hadn't known was there.

And now, that friendship...was it being threatened? To have the thought of Viper betraying her hurt more than the actual betrayal. She couldn't, she couldn't!

It seemed that whenever she chose to either ask Po or Viper about it, the fates decided to interrupt her.

So she had stopped asking, but that was not the whole reason. In reality, Tigress was afraid. She was afraid of what she would find should she delve too deeply, afraid that she would be hurt. For all of her strengths in the physical realm, being impervious to any pain, she was ten times more resilient in the emotional realm. Constant rejections by Master Shifu did to her spirit what punching ironwood trees did to her body. But the shaft that does penetrate her walls, penetrates deeply indeed. Once her heart accepted someone, they clung to it with avengance. Tigress would not allow someone close to her to be hurt. To think that they would not return the favor was painful to her.

The thought that Viper might be hiding something from her was painful, but the thought of discovering what it was was more painful still. So Tigress had decided to not ask, and remain blissfully unaware.

"Tigress?" a sweet, feminine voice broke in on the feline's thoughts.

"Greetings, Master Viper..." Tigress answered, without turning around.

"What's wrong? Something the matter?" the snake asked worriedly.

"No," Tigress lied, crossing her arms,"Nothing is wrong. I'm fine."

Viper didn't look convinced. "Tigress, you never call me 'Master Viper' unless something is wrong, and I'm not going to leave until you tell me what it is!"

Tigress sighed. That was Viper, a friend all the way through. But how could Tigress tell her that was exactly what was bothering her?

"Viper, I'm only a little preoccupied... I just want to know if I can trust you," she muttered. She was so ashamed of this, practically admitting to not trusting her best friend.

Viper blinked. Tigress had just asked if she could trust her?

She seemed to be getting that question a lot lately... "Of course you can trust me! We are friends, aren't we?"

"Aren't we?" Tigress echoed.

Viper had the uncomfortable feeling that she knew what this was about. "Of course we are!" She answered her own question. "We are friends, and always will be. I will stay your friend as long as you want me to be."

Viper was stricken with a a case of extreme deja-vu. She remembered having this very same conversation with the feline several years ago. "We will always be friends, Tigress, always."

"Always," Tigress said, with a half-smile. She remembered this conversation as well.

Viper smiled, "Always."

Inside, her thoughts turned darker. Friends don't hide things from friends, and the thought of Shen, sitting in that tower, made her on earth was this going to work out? How she wished sometimes that she was a soothsayer...it must be so useful to see the future. Could Tigress trust her? Sure, in a fight, to save her life, in combat...but in TRUST, as in the way normal people see it, Viper was turning out to be as sneaky as... well, a snake.

Abruptly, she lost her train of thought as her mind went on a random road trip on how stupid that stereotype was.

Tigress was consoled, at least for now. Viper was a friend, nothing would change that, right?

She said that was true... but was it?

She should stop having such dishonorable thoughts. Trust was earned, and that snake had earned it thoroughly. The least she could do was give it.

* * *

Smoke and fire, smoke and fire. The darkness played with the thoughts on Shen's mind, as he oversaw the creation of his biggest dream ever.

Was the twisted genius that surrounded him limited to fireworks? No. Shen had created several other things, and not all of them were limited to weapons. Most were dismissed as being 'Outrageous' or 'impractical', the least favorite of which being 'dark and twisted' like his weapons... But a good deal of his ideas were just far too expensive to put into use. This particular one had fallen into that category.

But now, he had the resources he needed to bring his most ambitious dream ever to life. And that was what he was going to do.

He smiled, thinking of what had put him in this position in the first place. Aang, what a fool... His smile widened, remembering the bat's last dying gasps...

_Twinkle, twinkle, little bat,_

_How I wonder what you're at..._

He shook his head, disgusted at his own sickness. What a disgusting murderer he was, thinking up a children's poem over death.

His plan had been so perfect, everything had worked out in the end... his well timed conversations, the protecting the smaller bats, the creation of the weapon coinciding exactly with the end of Aang's deadline...the rigging up of a pulley system designed to fail...

Yes, Shen had planned that too. He had known that Aang would never let him see enough of the scrolls... It was a good thing he always had a plan B. That was Shen, covering every angle, pondering every obstacle. When it came down to it, people were all so very predictable...

He darkened, as the thought of the one individual who was completely unpredictable... That stupid, STUPID panda! He was so stupid, which only added to how dangerous an adversary he was, as it made him impossible to predict. Just like his own madness...

Madness and stupidity, now there was something that few people ever compared, but they were so very alike. There were no bounds to them, not noticing the glaring limitations and flying through walls, each a locked in frame of mind that could either hurt or help.

Shen laughed to himself, at how amusing his own mind was. It never seemed to be able to stay on track, and that's what made it so very intelligent...

He was doing it again! He needed to stay on track, keep his thoughts centered on his ambitions, and his quest.

They would be completed. For him, happiness was to be taken, and take it he would.

Take it he would.

He picked up his lance, pulling it up to his face, before swinging it around and thrusting it viciously. He then pulled it up, dropping to a full-split on the floor, before flinging himself back up, and vaulting on the shaft of his guan dao, spinning around into a swift series of kicks and Kung Fu moves.

Unbeknownst to him, several miles away, another Shen was doing the very same moves, and the two peacocks were unknowingly doing a dance with each other, swinging, and thrusting, dodging and blocking, spinning and kicking.

It was beautifully deadly, enticingly sad. If movements were music, then Shen's martial arts would be a symphony of high pitched notes, somber yet irresistible. If movements were words, then Shen's movements would have been a wonderfully intricate yet delicately sorrowful poem, entrancing to the mind, heavy to the heart.

The two peacocks swung their lances up, using it's momentum to pull them around,

before launching into an incredibly swift series of slashes and strikes, sweeping their trains gracefully. A leap into the air, a midair twist, and a volley of throwing knives before landing brought the display to an end, as one peacock let out a victorious caw, fanning his train, while the other bowed solemnly.

"Amazing! You can really see the improvements that Po's training has brought you!" Viper congratulated the slightly panting peacock in front of her.

"Thanks..." Shen sighed, looking back over at his newly regrown train. It was so much shinier and more even than his old one, almost making him glad that his old train had been pulled out. How long had it been before someone had congratulated him? Since someone had said that he had done well at something? Longer than he could remember. That had been all he really wanted from his conquest of China. And it felt darn good.

Away in the cave, another Shen had no one to congratulate him. He was alone, in a cave filled with thousands of his minions. Back to the old beginning. This was where he had started, a visionary among the visionless. Alone. People like him were always alone, because they were different. The world shuns the different.

But it is the different that steer the world.

* * *

"The knives are held in this position, pa...Po, or else you will cut yourself!" Shen hissed, correcting Po's throwing stance, "Now, feet... One forward, one a step and a half back..."

"Shen, we have done all this a thousand times! Let me just throw already!" the panda complained, as he glared at Shen, "If I stand like this, I can't throw as hard!"

Shen sighed. He remembered complaining to Po for going over the basics over and over again, was it possible that he was prone to the same weakness? "Very well, panda, try it your way!" he said, rubbing his wing to his face in exasperation.

"Oh, I will!" Po said, with utter determination. He took his own stance (which Shen thought was ridiculous) and... started hopping from foot to foot. Shen raised his eyebrows, wondering what on earth Po was doing.

"Alright tree, you have never seen this one! You only ever seen knives thrown peacock style, but your about to get a taste of the pure, raw thundah power of BEAR style! Woo! Hoo-hee-woo-"

"Will you just throw the knife?" Shen said impatiently.

"Whoa, ok...no need to get mad...I'll just throw it... Like this?" Po threw the knife, and it landed a few feet in front of him.

"Oh, for the love of- PANDA! We have been over this a THOUSAND times! You have to throw it HARDER! Throw it HARDER!" Shen gasped, then took a deep breath, in an attempt to calm himself, "Pick up the knife, and throw it harder. Throw it harder!"

Po took his custom stance again, and threw the knife with all his might. It tumbled end over end, hitting the tree handle first, and thunking to the ground. Po was visibly dissapointed.

"See?" Shen asked, "Although you can throw harder, your throws will not be as accurate or directionalized."

"Fine..." Po muttered, taking Shen's recommended stance. This time, the knife flew like an arrow, although it still missed.

"Getting there, Po. Your getting there," Shen complimented, examining the panda's performance, "Next time, release a little earlier."

"Sure... boy, learning these things really takes time, doesn't it?"

"Everything good in life does, panda," Shen replied.

"I suppose. But it would be easier if it was quicker."

"Perhaps," Shen answered, then added with a smile, "But it would be a lot less fun."

Po laughed, "Yeah, I suppose it would!" he sat down, and thought. Fun? Since when had Shen ever cared about fun? He was changing, changing for the better. Po certainly thought so, but did Shen even realize it? Sometimes, Po thought that Shen secretly figured that he hadn't changed at all.

Shen watched the panda think, and wondered how on earth this guy had looked so darn scary in the battle at the harbor. The thought of that incident still made him shudder...

But he was happy now. It could all collapse tomorrow, but for now, he was happy.

Let destiny take care of itself for once.

* * *

_Author's note: Little does Shen know just how much destiny is taking care of itself. I fear both he and Po are in for a... surprise, shall we say?_

_Another note, sorry for the slow chapter. The next one will also be quite slow, but it's a build-up, you will see when you read it. _

_Thanks for reading, please review! I am really surprised by how many reviews I have gotten from this..._


	39. In motion

Chapter Forty

The bats had been hard at work for such a long time, and it seemed to have stretched on forever. However, excitement was growing in the cave, as it seemed they were nearing their goal. Of the over three thousand bats in the cave, they now had enough weapons to arm... alot of them. Over two hundred rocket-launchers had been created, several tons of metal used, several hundred thousand yuan spent (the bats were surprisingly rich) and several tons of low-grade silk bought.

And after it all, they were almost ready. The metal ores in the cave walls had run dry, but since they were only assembling now, it didn't really matter. Besides, they would soon have all of China to draw from. The assembly was going quite well, and they should be completedwithin the month.

"Alright, let's hear that list again!" Ghan called, as he and Bianfu stood, hanging upside-down from the overseers platform. A bat flew up, with a list of all the tasks that needed to be done, both completed and uncompleted.

"Alright, let's see... Frameworks, complete! Weapon ammunition, complete! And may I say, that looks quite impressive!"

"Yes, yes," Ghan yawned, "Can you keep to the list, please?"

"Sure, sure..." the bat answered, turning back to his list, "Interior, uncompleted. Rocket launchers, mobile, complete! Rocket launchers, fixed, uncompleted. Wiring, incomplete. Wings..." the list droned on and on, but a good majority of the work was done.

"That's enough!" Ghan interrupted, "Ya' can go now!"

"We should stop listening to what has to be done, and go out and do it!" Bianfu exclaimed.

"Hold it, Tiger!" Ghan shook his wings rapidly, "Ya' may be a good worker, but ya' need to learn how to be an overseer. Ya' can't just rush in and do everything at once, things get left out. Ya' have to pace yourself and your workers, or else they all get tired, and stop working."

"Yes, but we should speed it up SOME! I am impatient!" Bianfu replied, looking carefully at several bats carrying a large sheet of silk-like fabric over to the construction chamber. "Besides, I really want to see this thing in action! What if it doesn't work? Then all this will be for nothing..."

Ghan sighed. "One must prepare for these kind of things, Bianfu. Ya' do not just spend all this work on something without being at least half sure it will work. Didn't ya' see the scale models, or the prototypes?"

"Well...yes... but I still want to see these things work! We have been at this for what, ten months? I had hoped we would complete this thing before new years..." Bianfu muttered.

Ghan smiled. "The peacock shares your impatience. I think that he too, wanted to finish these contraptions before new years..."

"Good," Bianfu replied flatly, "Honestly though, do we really need all..this?" he gestured to the entire construction area, "I thought that the rocket-launchers alone would do the trick, do we really need these contraptions?"

Ghan pondered a while, then shook his head. "No, we don't need them. But they sure will make it easier... like we still use our feet, even though we have wings."

"I suppose..." Bianfu smiled, "And I guess it can't hurt to have them, if we win by a large margin..."

"Perhaps that's why we have them, although I always thought they were just for fun," Ghan grinned, "I mean, you gotta admit, these things will be REALLY fun to use! I admit, that I too cannot wait for our conquest."

Bianfu grew somewhat grimmer. "Conquest..." he muttered, "Ghan, do you ever think about the people that are being conquered? What about them?"

Ghan shook his head. "I asked Aang the same thing..." both bats visibly darkened at the mention of the former Lord, "...and do you know what he said? He said that they are simply fools, resisting that which would do them good. Although those killed are a sad loss, they, in future, will not have history on their side. They will be remembered as the detriment that shadows glory."

Bianfu twisted his lip. "And... And what do you think?"

Ghan mused some more, before answering, "It's not my job to have an opinion on such matters. Whatever my Master's opinion is, that is my opinion as well."

Bianfu said nothing.

After a while, both bats flew down, to once more settle into the routine of work.

* * *

Shen sat alone in his chambers, with a paper laid out in front of him. Closing his eyes, he focused his thoughts. He must focus them to the extent that even his involuntary actions were steering him into his ambitions. He concentrated on his life, how it all had been leading up to this point. It was his destiny, and there was no other option. Why run from destiny? Instead, meet it halfway.

The paper before him was a map of China, sprawling and vast. He ran his wings over it, still with his eyes closed. How odd it was, that like this, all the mountains, valleys, farms, and cities were all reduced to nothing but blank flatness.

Just how it was in life. Each province was different, each unique. But when placed under his eyes, they all appeared to be exactly the same. All to be conquered.

He now concentrated on his ambitions, channeling his thoughts towards his target. He stood up, still with eyes closed, and drew a throwing blade. He span slowly, as he moved his wings slowly over his head, and making circular motions with his feet. It was the exact same series of movements that the panda had used on his 'inner peace' technique.

How Shen scoffed at that! They called it balance of spirit, body, and mind. He called it balance, all right, but of a different kind. It was all down to precision and stability. The mystery was how to attain such an incredible level of precision. It had to have something to do with that string of motions the panda had done, directly before grabbing his cannonballs, and throwing them back at the boats. Perhaps it was so you could see better? But no, Po had his eyes closed when he had done them. Perhaps it was a 'finding your point of balance' thing...

Anyway, now Shen exactly copied those same series of moves, the knife twirling in his wingtips. He could feel his thoughts channeled up inside of him, knotting as they prepared...

NOW! Still with his eyes closed, he whirled, sending the knife flying from his wings. He heard it impact with a loud THUNK, and he stood still, listening for a few seconds.

He opened his eyes, and scanned the room, looking for his knife. His beak curved into a demented smile when he found it. It was buried into the map, and right through the middle of the royal city, the capital. His target.

He sat back down, plucking the knife from it's position, and began to plan.

There were two ways to conquer a country, either by force or by the trading method. Shen was a warrior, for him there was only one choice, and that was by the way of force.

Then, the way was split further. Most takeovers were done by painstakingly subjugating each and every province, town and village, or by taking the capital. For any invading army, the only viable method was the former, as the capital was nicely placed in the middle of China, any attacker would have to barge through some of the richest and best-defended cities in the world, to reach the capital, which was quite well defended itself.

Shen could not care less about the defenses, he was confident that his rocket-launchers could deal with anything they might meet. It was time that was the pressing concern on his mind. He wanted to take China quickly, not get bogged down by the inevitable conjoined attacks the provinces would give him. He knew that the other option, simply taking the capital, was difficult for the largest army...but that was the option he now strove for. He planned to succeed where others had failed.

He had learned from his battle with the panda. There is more to conquest than simply taking an army, a massive weapon, and a fleet of ships, and using them to bash the country into submission. Thinking back on his old plan, he was disgusted with himself, for coming up with such an amateurish piece of strategy.

No weapon is more dangerous than the mind of the mortal behind it. That is common knowledge for everyone, but what Shen had failed to take into account was what the mortals and weapons stood on. His boats had been turned against him, and his cannons deserved something better than an old wooden boat.

The thought of what his bats were building in the caverns below filled him with wild excitement. They were now constructing what had been a lifelong dream for him, which he had tinkered with all through and before his exile. He believed that he was finally close to completing it, and he was even more excited now than when he had built his cannons. When it was done, it would be glorious...glorious indeed. With it, he would be able to take China with so much more ease, only having to take the capital, rather than brawling through every city and village in front of it.

Shen stood up, and brushed himself off. There was now no more need to plan, he had everything sorted out in his mind, and he was sure that it would work. For now though, all he could do was wait impatiently for his bats to complete working.

He decided to run over to the working rooms, and help. He wanted to oversee everything, and he wanted to be the one to screw in the very last screw. This was his endeavor, his dream. He would be the one to finish it.

He made his way over to the construction rooms, and was pleased to see that work was rapidly being done on his greatest creation ever.

"Good evening everyone! I am glad you are working well!"

"Greetings, Lord Shen!" several bats called out.

Shen smiled, making his way to where his greatest creation stood half-completed, looking like the skeleton of some great monster in the crimson light. He looked it over with appraising eyes.

"You have done well," he said, turning to Bianfu, "Very well..."

"We are almost done, Lord Shen!" the little bat piped, spreading his wings into a cape and bowing.

"Very good, and the others?"

"Most of them have already been completed, we were just waiting for you to oversee the testing."

Shen's beak curved into a smile, as he turned back to the bat. "You have completed some of them? Why was I not told? I was to be the one to finish it..."

"You still can be!" Bianfu reassured quickly, "We have not finished all of them, and the main one has still not yet reached completion! Besides, you gave express orders that we were not to disturb you..."

"It does not matter..." Shen interrupted, folding his wings into his sleeves, "How soon can we run a test? I am eager to see what my new toys are capable of."

Bianfu frowned, as he tried to formulate an answer. "I'm not quite sure...we would need a lot of space, and we do not want anyone to see us...but we believe that we have found a suitable area..."

"Then have the device brought there, and notify me when you have done so." Shen replied, "As for now, I will assist you in some of the work."

Bianfu stuttered. "Y-you, Lord Shen?"

"Yes..." Shen replied softly. While he had been working on his cannons with the wolves, he would often lend a hand, which was privately ridiculed by the wolves, as Shen was much weaker than them when it came to that kind of thing. He often was more of a hindrance than help anyways. But here, with the bats, he could help and be looked up at, as he was far stronger than they.

"Yes, yes I will. And you just see to it that the device is moved."

"Yes sir, Lord Shen." Bianfu affirmed.

"Very good!" Shen beamed, as the bat flew of, up into the tunnels above.

Shen and the bats started the construction, and the sounds of creation rung out through the cavern.

Ropes were pulled, and large beams of wood were being cut into boards. Shen had placed emphasis on finding the lightest of everything possible, perhaps he didn't want it to crush him again. But the bats knew differently, and that he had a special purpose for all these uber-light materials. Buckets of screws were emptied, as their contents were taken and used. They were constructing what appeared to be a large dome, with steel framework, with a silk-like material stretched over it. Already, several sections of framework had been covered, and the bats were at work painting them with some kind of coating, which sealed and waterproofed it. The remaining sections were quickly being covered with the same silk-like material.

Elsewhere, other bats were constructing what appeared to be the exact same thing, but inverted. This one, however, had some kind of wooden gondola hanging from the bottom, which appeared to only be half complete, as several bats were working on it.

Shen loved all this, it was all his. He was at home here like he was rarely ever. He loved the feel of sweat on his feathers, and the pain of lifting something heavy in his shoulders. This was odd for him, as he detested each of things anywhere else in his life.

Several hours later, the work continued on. Bianfu rushed into the chambers, searching for the normally obvious white peacock.

"Lord Shen? Lord Shen!?" he called, scanning from side to side.

"That way!" some bat called out.

"Thanks!" Bianfu exclaimed, before flying off in the direction the bat had advised. "Lord Shen? Lor- Ahh! There you are!" he smiled, catching sight of the familiar white form of the avian! "Lord Shen."

"Yes? What is it?"

Shen answered, turning from his work to give his attention to the bat. "Has the device been moved for testing?"

"Yes, Lord Shen, the device has been moved as you requested, and is ready for testing, the group is just waiting for you."

"Excellent!" Shen smiled, before turning away towards Ghan, hanging up on the ceiling. "Ghan! Take over this again! I have to be going!"

"Sure thing boss!" Ghan called down.

Shen turned back to Bianfu. "Very well, let's be going then, shall we?"

"Of course!" Bianfu replied, turning towards the path leading towards the exit to the cave, "We should be going, or else the test team will be getting impatient."

"I don't CARE about what the test team thinks!" Shen hissed, "I am getting impatient! Hurry up!"

Bianfu frowned at the peacock's sudden display of anger. He had been more prone to fits of anger since he had taken charge, Bianfu attributed it to increased amounts of stress. He hoped it was not a permanent attitude change, he did not want a second Aang in charge.

Shen followed Bianfu down the winding tunnels of the cave, impatiently fiddling with the tips of his sleeves. That was a rather creepy habit, it derived from the fact that he had several knives hidden in his sleeves, a sign that he was going to kill whatever made him impatient. In this case, however, all Shen could do was walk faster.

Eventually, they made it to the entrance of the cave system. Shen blinked in the sudden bright daylight, this was the first time he had seen it since his arrival to the cave. He held his wings over his eyes.

Bianfu winced in the sunlight. How could anyone like this stuff? He noticed Shen seem to straighten up and even enjoy the breeze and light, and attempted to do the same. Nope. Didn't work. He still found it as repulsive as ever.

"Well? Don't just stand there! Take me to the testing area! Remember, I still don't know where it is!" Shen's commanding voice broke the bat from his misery.

"Oh, right! It's this way, follow me..." Bianfu took off from the precipice, flying downwards. Shen leaped after him, spreading his train like a glider to help keep him aloft. He enjoyed the feeling of wind rushing against his feathers. He realized that he had taken this for granted. Too bad.

They both glided down to another, lower precipice, overlooking a small valley. Behind them were some sizable mountains, which Shen did not realize at the time, were the mountains surrounding the Valley of peace. Several other bats were gathered here, each looking just as miserable as Bianfu.

Shen looked around at them, slightly annoyed with their slower responses, but doing a good job of covering it. He would soon watch a lifelong dream of his in action, after all, he could afford to be a little nicer than usual.

"Good afternoon gentlemen! Are we all ready to begin?" he asked, swinging his head back and forth, "Let's get this started, shall we?"

"Of course..." a bat groaned sleepily, "We have already moved the device into a launching position, which was quite difficult for us because of the device's large size, and it should now be ready for launching."

"Good, good!" Shen replied, thinking hard in his head for some name for the device. He wanted something descriptive, but not so entirely descriptive as that it's name is just what it does.

"We are going to launch in thirty seconds," the bat continued, fiddling with his fingertips.

"Ready!" a bat called, sitting in a basket on top of the device, "Ready for launch!"

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six..." the bat called. Shen felt sweat coming to his face, and he swiped it away quickly.

"...five, four, three, two, one..." a collective gasp went out from each one of them (Shen included) as the bat shouted "LAUNCH!"

The device stood on the edge of the precipice, and several bats pushed it, trying to push it over the edge of the cliff. They succeeded, and the device plummeted off, down the cliff wall. It looked like a slim missile, hurtling towards the ground. Suddenly, it pulled upwards, revealing two large bat-like wings protruding from the sides.

Shen smiled, as his glider swooped around the small valley, slowly making banking turns, as it slowly drifted lower and lower.

"Test out the thrusting rockets." Shen whispered to a bat standing next to him.

"Cairn, test out the thrusting rockets!" the bat shouted.

A red flag appeared on the side of the glider, a sign that the command was understood. Suddenly, two streams of blue fire erupted from the back of the glider, and it surged forwards, pulling upwards till it was gaining altitude. It flew from the bounds of the valley, soaring above them. The glider made a wide sweeping turn, as it's rockets sputtered out. It soared around above them, doing a number of aerobatic moves, for the next half hour. Shen, not wanting to waste anymore thrusting rockets, allowed the glider to float gently back to the ground.

A wild, ecstatic excitement pulsed through his body. This was his greatest moment ever...but it could get better.

He looked to the future, and saw it was limitless. This, his greatest creation ever, had worked perfectly! Nothing could stop him now.

The bats cheered, and Shen cheered along with them. There was no reason for him not to.

"This is another step of our stairs to glory!" Shen called, and the bats drew silent to listen. "What you have just witnessed was the beginning of a new era, one that we SHALL pioneer! No longer will we be the ones shunned, the ones trodden, the ones rejected! The world will be a prouder place because of us."

_"Are you proud now?"_ Shen muttered again in his head, _"Of course you are..."_

No answer.

_ "Why can't you show it? I don't feel any different... Of course, I am being foolish. You cannot hear me, and would not look, even if you could."_

Shen received no answer.

"Well... I guess I'll go now. I'm sorry for bothering you...

_I just want so say one more thing. That I want you to know, that I'm doing all this... that all this is an attempt to say... That all I ever wanted to say was..." _Shen felt stinging tears coming to his eyes, and he forced them back, _"...That I loved you. And I always knew you loved me... I will prove myself to be worthy of that love."_

He turned away from the bats, hiding his face. He was afraid that they would see him in his moment of weakness, as always afraid of showing any sign of being weak.

"Well..." he said smoothly, still keeping his face away from the bats, "Let's get back to work, shall we?"

* * *

Several weeks passed, and two months went by. It was a momentous occasion for Shen, as he realized it was exactly one year, to the day, that he had declared the 'Year of the Peacock' to have started.

Well, it had now ended. Shen had himself and the bats getting everything ready by this day, wanting to make the end of the 'year' special. And finish they had.

Lights and smoke were everywhere, as Shen stood on a small overhang, looking down at the scene below. The sound of tumultuous creation, and the crimson light that bathed everything, have what stood before him a surreal appearance. Before him, stood a truly massive oval, with red, ornately designed silk stretched over it like skin. A huge wooden platform was strapped below it, and eerie red light pulsed from within the dome. It strained against the ropes holding it down, for this...thing could actually fly.

Yes, Shen had designed the worlds first airship. The bats had been forced to construct it outside, for the thing was simply too large to construct indoors. The enormous frame billowed, as a bat lit another fire within it's maw, and the heat pushed it upwards. Upon the side of the platform, the words "_Iron Princess_" were spelled out in gold, giving the beast a name. Inside the platform, thousands of bats were readying themselves, as the final preparations were being made.

This was to be Shen's new warship, he was going to fly it to the capital... Well, the rest was obvious. It would be able to carry most, if not all, of the bats, and any that it could not could just as well fly alongside. Several gliders lay side by side within it, their wings folded for storage reasons. The gliders were small and light, they could be carried by the massive airship. Lit fires within gave off large amounts of heat, causing the whole thing to lift.

Shen shuddered, remembering the headache designing the lifting system had given him. He did not want to set the whole thing on fire, so the bats had to be very careful how they lit the fires.

Several more lights appeared within the frame, as the bats continued to light more fires. The _Iron Princess_ strained further upwards, pulling more on the ropes keeping it earthbound.

Shen noticed this with glee, less than half the fires had been lit, and already it seemed like it could take off. He stood some distance away, watching with eager anticipation. The airship had been easier to design than the glider, but the steering and power system had been difficult. He had eventually managed to create a system of primitive propellers, powered by...bats turning handles.

_"Note to self: design better system in future,"_ Shen thought in his mind.

Half an hour ago, Ghan had informed him they would be ready to launch in an hour. Shen had since been counting off the minutes, and he was growing more excited and impatient with each passing second, much like a child before Christmas. For him, this was his new year's present to himself, keeping a promise he made to himself exactly one year ago. This day shall mark the beginning of the end for China... and mark a glorious new chapter in the history of the WORLD! All of Asia would know of the wrath of the white peacock, and tremble! The world shall remember this year for millennia, as the start of what was the future.

And, whatever happened, China...would bow at his feet. That, that was his destiny, and he had toiled long to achieve it, casting much tears, sweat, and BLOOD for this dream. He was owed it. The universe had to agree with him eventually... A mind like his was not simply to be ignored. He could not stand in the shadows, and let others turn the wheels of fate. He turned them himself, that was his lot in life. To attempt to change fate, doomed to forevermore live in the consequences of his actions. But, whether he lived or died, he was always the instigator of his own fate, a title he wasn't quite sure he really wanted.

Nevermind.

Shen looked up, as the _Iron Princess_ heaved upwards another inch. Another surge of impatience rushed through his body, and he resisted the urge to throw a childish tantrum. How much longer now? Only about what, twenty-five more minutes? Come on! Couldn't time go faster, just this once? Shen wished to control everything, but happenings like these served to remind him that there were always things that would remain forever out of his reach.

Ghan flew up to him, breath heaving. "Shen!" he called, reaching the peacock, "We are-"

"Are you ready yet?" Shen interrupted, pushing his beak into the bat's face.

"Surprisingly, yes! We finished fifteen minutes ahead of-"

"Excellent!" Shen breathed excitedly, bobbing his head slightly, "That is excellent. Is it ready for me to board?"

"Yes, yes sir!" came the welcome reply.

Shen smiled to himself, his beak curving at the edges oddly. Only his beak smiled, his eyes remained the same.

"Very good. I shall board presently."

"I shall alert the workers of your coming arrival," Ghan bowed.

"Good. Dissmissed," Shen replied, looking off into the distance.

The bat flew away, and Shen watched a few more minutes, before trudging off in the same direction.

A few minutes later, he stood at the doorway of the airship, taking a deep breath, before stepping inside. The interior was quite crammed, packed almost to bursting with bats and their weapons. But there was a special place at the front, reserved specially for Shen. He made his way there, standing behind a short fence, and looking at the ground a few feet below him. This was a walking dream for him, he might as well enjoy it.

"Everyone ready?" a bat voice called out. Shen started excitedly, as the safety preparations were being made.

"Ready!"

"Clear!"

"Ready!" a myriad of bat-voices called out, answering the call.

Shen looked back. Everything was in order, several bats stood ready with sharpened blades, waiting to sever the ropes. Shen decided to let them. "Sever the ropes!" he shouted out, making random motions with his wings.

The bats brought their blades swiping along the ropes, cutting them in single blows. As soon as the ropes were cut, the _Iron Princess_ tugged upwards, leaving the ground behind below it. Shen noticed the wall of the valley coming dangerously close, and he turned, giving the order to start the rotors.

The rotors started, as several bats turned cranks quickly, causing them to spin.

The _Iron Princess_ slowly, agonizingly slowly, turned away from the wall, saving Shen's largest creation ever from a premature demise. Several more fires were lit, and the Iron Princess gained altitude quickly, raising high above the valleys and mountains below.

"Tonight, I draw the year of the peacock to a close, and begin the era! The age of the peacock, starts NOW!"

Shen's triumphant words rang out, echoing around the lands below, causing several children to get nightmares.

Shen's assault on China had officially begun.

* * *

_Author's note: I'm sure you will be glad to know, that this marks the end of the slow chapters, as we begin the final steps towards the climax._

_Also, I think that you were wrong, Shen's General, I think your overlord has been keeping you in the dark. Shen is going after China, with an AIRSHIP, and tons of GLIDERS! Where did he get those? Seriously though, Shen is the perfect person to have designed flying machines, he's brilliant, AND he's a bird. A bird should almost certainly understand flight mechanics better than most other creatures. Just trying to explain this, so it doesn't sound too OP._

_Also, I have a review Quota of four. Once I get four reviews for the chapter, I will update, so the more you review, the faster I can update! (I know that's a little childish, but don't worry, four isn't that much.)_

_See you four reviews later!_


	40. Conquest

Chapter Forty-One

The royal city was a true metropolis, from it's paved streets, all the way to the tops of it's several shining white spires and pagodas. It was by far the largest city in China, being twice the size of Gongmen. A citizenry of pheasants, deer, doves, and other regal creatures inhabited the spacious houses and elegant palaces. However, as in every city, there was always the slums, where the romantic grace of the sprawling metropolis seemed to have drained away, turning into the sludge which heaped in dark corners, and coated itself over every being that entered them.

It was a splendorous evening, in which all of nature had rolled herself in fiery glory. The city began to quieten, as the citizenry began to recede from the streets back into their homes.

The _Iron Princess_ floated in the mostly clear skies, with clouds lacing like cotton candy around her.

All this supernal beauty, however, was lost on Shen, as he peered over the railing at the lands below. All this land! Looking at a map, one could not truly appreciate the size of China. One would have to see it from a perspective such as this to visualize the massive scale of that country. All of this..all of it, would be his.

* * *

Far below, the city sat in the diminishing light, unaware of the hell that was soon to be unleashed on them. The Imperial emperor of China, Xu Nai Xan, sat on his throne, pondering the message that had just been delivered to him by the bat that stood in front of him. This was the very least favorite of messages delivered to him, not a "We are tired of you, be careful", or even a "We are going to war soon, be careful",no, this was a "Surrender now or be destroyed like chaff before us" kind off message.

"So...how big is your army, again?" the emperor asked, somewhat concerned.

"We would prefer not to answer that," the bat replied, "I am still awaiting a response..."

The goose thought. It was a bat, he was currently unsure just how many their were of that species, and he would rather be safe than sorry.

"Tell your leader to wait..."

"We will not wait."

Ugh. He was afraid of that. "Well then, please excuse us a moment, while we deliberate on the subject."

The bat smirked, "Go ahead and deliberate, but don't procrastinate!"

"Sure..." the emperor trailed, and the bat walked out. As soon as he was gone, Xu turned to all the people next to him, sighing as he did so.

They had to go and attack right during the middle of an important meeting of all the leaders of the provinces. The empire was not as unified as it appeared, dissention was threatening to tear it apart. Several warlords were tearing China to pieces, and the emperor had requested this meeting to try and diplomatically resolve their differences. They could not be militarily forced, as Xu lacked the military power to re-conquer all the different provinces. He had wished they all had a common goal, this was NOT what he had in mind.

Turning to a messenger, he had him go for the military advisor. The messenger shot away, leaving the emperor under the harsh glares of all the province-leaders.

"Don't even THINK about surrendering!" Coui Ruen, an Ox from Zi province, commanded suspiciously.

"I am emperor. Do not command me," the goose replied cooly, before continuing, "But I do not think that I will surrender. But we will wait for the military advisor, then we will see..."

"I have enough military knowledge to know, that we do not need to be worried at all! It's just a bat, the bats have two hundred, three hundred soldiers at best. You have over 1,000 in this city alone!"

"Wrong!" a cool, somewhat chilling voice rung out through the hall. Stepping sedately down the hallway, came the form of the military advisor, an eastern imperial eagle.

He bowed before the emperor, and the other rulers, then continues, "The imperial armies are in the nearby cities, only five hundred soldiers are actually here. Also, honorable leader Coui Ren," -he then bowed to the Ox, prompting a grunt from that party-, "You are obviously not aware that, about three years ago, the bats grouped together and seceded from China, banding together behind a revolutionary by the name of Aang ki. I now place the estimate for their army size as high as five thousand."

"Big deal," the Ox interjected, snorting, "They are only bats! Puny, wimpy bats! A few of our bovine warriors could easily crush those wimps!"

The eagle had no change of expression on his face whatsoever. "Strength in numbers, Coui. I do believe that you forgot that expression, when you went up against me all those years ago. Do you remember who won that little conflict?"

Coui glowered. The eagle had won that battle, much to the Ox-leader's disbelief. "You had cheated! Digging holes was not fair!"

"That is not the point!" Xu exercised his power as emperor to interrupt, raising his wings, "This is no time to bring up ancient grievances! Please continue, honored advisor," he adressed the eagle again.

"The bats banded together behind Lord Aang ki-"

"But," the emperor interrupted, spotting something, "The bat claimed to be sent by a Lord Shen. Do you know who that is?"

The eagle considered the question a while, searching his memory. Eventually, he smiled, finding what he was looking for. "Lord Shen, yes, or Prince Shen Lee Han. Only son of Lord Ti'phan and Lady Mei lin. He was exiled for massacring a village of pandas, otherwise he would have been heir to the throne at Gongmen, and, no doubt, would be attending this meeting now..."

"Anything else?" the emperor questioned.

"Yes, I was not finished. About one year ago, Prince Shen forced his way back to power at Gongmen, with the help of an army of wolves, and some kind of new weapon. He was defeated by the Dragon warrior, and assumed dead..."

The eagle sighed, "Obviously, we were wrong..."

"What's this about a new weapon?" Xu leaned forward, slightly concerned, "Does it pose any threat to us?"

The raptor shook his head. "Details on that were sketchy at best. All we had was a bare bones description, which described it as some kind of metal tube, which spit metal and breathed fire. But they were all destroyed by the Dragon warrior."

The emperor sighed. "That's a relief..." he muttered.

"So was Shen, and we were wrong about that!" Coui stated, "How do we know you were right about the weapons? And what species is this Lord Shen, anyway? Ox? Rhino? Lion?"

"Peacock," a ruler answered, "The rulers of Gongmen have been peacocks for several thousand years. I know, because Gongmen is our neighbor."

Coui looked at the speaker. It was a crested ibis, ruler of the province of Xingfu.

"Well, only a bird! No need to be worried!" the ox sneered.

"Do not make judgments based on an opponents size, Coui Ren," the military advisor shot back, glaring slightly, "That leads to downfall."

"Yeah, but a peacock!" Coui complained, throwing his arms into the air, "That's not even a bird of prey!"

The ruler of Xingfu remained somber. "Do not underestimate Lord Shen, Coui Ren. He is dangerous," he looked around, focusing his eyes on the ox, "I know him. He came after his exile, needing money and resources to make his weapons. I gave them to him, in exchange for the promise to give us the completed prototype of the weapon. Well, do you know what happened? He finished the weapon... then used it to destroy our bridges, and disappearing into the mountains. Ten years later, we heard of his attack on Gongmen. We were not surprised. Do not underestimate him! He breathes death!"

"Oh brother!" Coui gasped, shaking his head, "That is all-"

"Again, we must remain united here. Division is deadly, making even the weakest adversary stronger than all of us." Xu, the emperor of China, stood up, eyeing his military advisor. "Where is Shen's army? How soon could it get here?"

The eagle shook his head. "I have no idea, the army should be plainly visible, outside of the city-ring, but it's nowhere to be found! They are bats, so they might be hanging around in the skies..."

"If all four thousand bats were to attack right now, what chance do you think we would stand?" the emperor queried.

The advisor shrugged. "We could muster at least five hundred soldiers right now, about five thousand in a day from now. If they were to attack right now, with clever planning, and correct strategy...we could perhaps keep them off until we could send for reinforcements from South cloud, who's solders specialize in fighting bats. For now, I suggest bringing all the citizenry into the palace, as the city wall does not keep winged adversaries at bay. Inside a building, our soldiers could hold off the bats for far longer than they would ordinarily..."

"So...we have a chance of winning?" Xu questioned intensely.

"I would say so."

"Very good. Everyone! Put the advisor's measures in place, and tell the messenger this: That as long as hope is alive, as long as we still stand, we will never, never surrender to you!" the emperor sat down.

"China stands united, it will not fall. Unless fire destroys us from the skies, we will not fall."

* * *

This message was relayed to the bat-messenger, who in turn passed it to Shen.

The peacock warlord sat in silence for a short time. Had he expected them to surrender? No.

"So be it," he said, turning to the bats behind him, "So be it." he raised his voice, calling the pilot and pedal-bats, "BRING US OVER THE CITY! Full power!"

The propellers turned faster, as the bats turned their handles faster. The Iron Princess churned though the air, heading towards the city boundaries.

* * *

In the royal city, the citizens were being taken into the palace. Panic was beginning to run rampant, and confusion only fed the fires, since it seemed that no-one knew what was going on.

A child looked to the skies. The stars were beautiful, she must remember that there was always beauty somewhere, and that nothing could make those stars shine any the less.

But a shadow fell across the stars, a long narrow shape, blocking the celestial points of light. What was that?

Elsewhere, the military advisor looked over the city. The emperor sighed, standing next to him. He was afraid. He had an overwhelming feeling of doom, pervading throughout his entire body. Was this what fate felt like?

"The citizens are being moved, and the soldiers are being gathered, sir..."

"No news has come from the surrounding cities. No military force has been sighted anywhere near here..."

The reports kept coming in, and a pattern had emerged. There was no signs of their adversaries, and the city was in terror over their unknown rival.

"Just show yourself already!" Xu muttered to himself. Where was the wretch?

"Sir!" a frantic voice called out, and Xu caught sight of a small simian, climbing up the parapets.

"What?" the emperor answered eagerly.

"We have caught sight of...something, heading towards the city. It looks like a cloud, but it's not..."

Xu felt a sinking feeling rushing through his body, although he had no idea why. "Where?" he asked. In that moment, his weariness showed as never before.

The simian pointed. "Over there!"

The emperor squinted, looking along the simian's arm. He could see nothing...wait! What was that!? It looked like a faint black speck, hardly visible in the darkness, but glowing faintly...

It looked like some abomination from hell, floating over the air towards them.

"What is that?" Xu asked incredulously, looking with wide eye,. "What is that?!" he asked again, turning to his military advisor. To his surprise, and ultimate horror, he saw that the eagle's eyes were just as wide as his own, and in them, he could see an expression he had never seen there before: fear.

The advisor looked at him. His eyes, sharper than the goose's, had seen what the emperor had not. He could see the bats inside, the fires, the name, all the turning rotors, and the white peacock standing on the bow, a proud smirk on his face.

"T-tha..t..." he quavered, before taking a deep breath to regain control of his emotions, "That, my Lord, is Shen."

"May the universe help us..."

* * *

Shen looked at the city, growing closer beneath him. It looked so fragile from up here, just the way it should.

"The city will be beneath us within the hour," Ghan came up beside him, giving him another update, "We will soon be in range of the gliders, so we are readying them. Also, we have kept our altitude above one mile, in order to stay out of range of the crossbows."

"Excellent, carry on," Shen replied, his face staying the same.

* * *

"We still have a chance, that thing cannot possibly actually attack us..." the advisor tried to encourage the emperor, "It probably only ever carries troops, nothing has changed..."

"Are you sure?" Xu replied, looking to the skies nervously.

"No," came the quavering reply.

* * *

"Get ready! We attack within the hour!" Bianfu called, screeching to keep his voice over the noise in the interior of the Iron Princess. The crescendo of noises was deafening, he had to shout near the top of his lungs to make himself heard.

A few short minutes later, the _Iron Princess_ finally breached the walls of the city, and now houses, instead of fields, passed by below.

Shen turned around, savoring the words he was about to say. "Launch the gliders!"

Man. That sounded so much more epic in his head.

Still, the bats heard his command, and several metal teardrops flew out the side of the blimp, unfolding their wings as they fell. They pulled up slightly, evening out their dive, but still coming lower to the city ground. They swept along the ground, and several blue streaks flew out from each glider, as they fired their rockets.

The rockets impacted the ground, and several explosions tore through the area, knocking down a house and a small pagoda. The craters smoked, as the gliders launched their propulsion rockets, flying back up to begin another attack run.

Shen watched all this with eager eyes, and smiled, before turning around again.

* * *

"Good...od.." the emperor breathed, his eyes wide with unbelief. He turned to his advisor. "Still think we can win this?"

The advisor stared, witnessing the damage caused, as a glided went in for another attack run, destroying another two houses. A rocket impacted near to the palace, and they all felt the shockwave. He turned back to Xu.

"I don't know...I don't-"

He was interrupted, as the _Iron Princess_ herself launched a volley of rockets, each streaking with deadly accuracy. A spire slowly collapsed, the shudder felt throughout the city.

The advisor stopped staring, and decided to act. The gliders came low to attack, leaving them vulnerable to attack themselves...

"Man the crossbow!" he cried, leaping from the balcony, opening his wings and soaring over the city, "Man that crossbow! Hit them when they come low!"

A massive rhino ran behind an even larger crossbow, as a smaller monkey loaded it, lighting the tip of the bolt on fire. The rhino aimed, lining up with a glider coming in low for it's attack. The glider and the rhino both fired...

The rocket slammed into the wall beneath the crossbow, destroying both it and a large portion of the wall.

The fiery bolt struck the glider's expansive wings, setting them alight. Bats flew out of it, as it slammed into the ground, before the fire struck the propulsion rockets. The glider skidded along the ground, striking another wall. The glider exploded, causing the whole wall to collapse.

Other crossbows across the city started firing, and the sky was now full of red bolts going up, and blue bolts coming down, the occasional fiery streak as a glider crashed to earth.

Another glider ran out of propulsion rockets, and skidded to the ground. The bats flew out, brandishing their weapons, and were immediately attacked by the city's soldiers.

But they couldn't hold it up forever. The _Iron Princess_, safe from the crossbows, continued to rain down bolts from above, and now started to pour out bats, like rain from hell.

The bats swooped over the city, calling in their eerie voices, avoiding the crossbow (and now compound bow) bolts and arrows that streaked towards them. A few of them landed on the ground, and started attacking the soldiers, pitting their wing-blades and katanas against the soldiers dao's, axe-blades, and halbreds. For the most part, the soldiers were holding their own, until the raw number of bats started to become overwhelming.

A sudden bolt of blue fire impacted the palace, breaking open the roof. The citizens hiding inside got their first view of the sky for several hours, and it was not encouraging.

Another glider went down in flames, the impact breaking open the paved streets.

* * *

Shen, high above, took a deep breath, before leaping off the balcony, several bats following behind. A glider swooped overhead, following them. They sweeped down towards the palace, intent on their prey.

* * *

"I think we are doomed..." Coui whimpered, looking at the skies.

"For once, I agree with you..." the advisor muttered, sighing to himself. This had all gone haywire, the once mighty city was starting to look more like an apocalypse...

A bat tore through a steel-plated shield with a swipe of it's katana, engaging a lone Ox-warrior with several of his comrades. The pack of bats ganged up on the lone bovine, and soon, a cut-short screech was heard, as the hapless warrior was brought down.

Elsewhere, a door was broken open, as a familiar ox and crocodile burst out of a bathroom.

"Just wait till I get my hands on the nincompoop who locked the bathroom doors!" Master Croc exclaimed, shaking his head.

"What is going on out here? It's chaos!" Master Ox exclaimed, looking to the sky, "We are being attacked!"

"Gee, you think?" the reptile replied sarcastically, then gestured to the sky around them. "Who is attacking, and WHAT is that!?"

Ox followed Croc's arm... The sound of a jaw hitting the floor echoed around. Directly above them, the _Iron Princess_ hovered, filling the sky with it's ominous outline. Several blue streaks shrieked outwards from it, and several rockets slammed into a spiraling pinnacle, causing it to crumble into nothingness.

"We need to find out what is going on!" Ox shouted, as they threw themselves to the ground, in fear of the blue death.

"Agreed!" the other Master replied, turning towards his friend, "There's a rhino over there, on that crossbow..."

"Good! Let's go ask him!"

The two Masters made their way to the rhino, hailing him from a distance. The rhino turned...and the two Masters watched as he was suddenly attacked by about twenty bats at once.

"Hurry!" Master Ox shouted to Croc, "We have to help him! Just hit 'em hard!"

Master Ox leaped up into a powerful jump attack, while Master Croc span sideways, his powerful tail entering the combat area first. His tail hit home, at least two bats dropped unconscious from the unexpected attack. Two more joined them, and Ox landed hard on one, then felling another with a high kick.

The bats whirled, to focus on the twosome. A katana struck upwards, towards the bovine's throat, but was parried by Ox's horns. The bat followed up with a downward slash, moving the sword in swirling patterns, confusing to the eyes. Master Ox simply punched the bat in the stomach, felling him in one punch. Unbeknownst to Ox, However, another bat dived at the back of his neck, a deadly-sharp dagger in hand...

A flash of green intercepted the bat, and the dagger buried itself in scales, instead of the fur it was supposed to. The bat was flung back, still grasping the dagger. He looked at it, and gasped in astonishment. The hilt was still in his hand, but the blade lay on the floor, twisted and broken.

Master Croc smiled. "Impenetrable hide!" he said simply, before lunging at the downed mammal...

A short battle ensued, as the rhino managed to disentangle himself from the attacking bats, and joined the fight. Eventually, after several fierce blows, the three large animals proved too much for the bats, and they fled.

The rhino stood gasping for a few seconds, then spoke, his breath heaving. "Gee...thanks. I owe you one..." he stared closer at his two rescuers, before a flash of recognition came into his eyes, "Master Ox? And Croc? No way! You used to work under Master Thundering Rhino, right? He was my biggest hero! This is AWESOME!"

The two Masters sighed. Fanboys and fangirls... Sooo annoying. "Yeah, that's us. Now, can you tell us what on earth is going on?"

"This is amazing!" tears came to the rhino's eyes, as he turned to the Masters again. "I am Faun yung, I am your BIGGEST fan!"

"Well thank you!" Master Croc flashed his famous smile, "It's always a-"

"Yeah yeah, now tell us what the heck is happening?" Ox interrupted.

"This is so cool!" the rhino probably would have continued forever, but a glare from Master Ox stopped him cold. "Yeah, right... There are bats attacking the city.."

"We sort of noticed that already!" Ox yelled.

"Well, just in case, bats are attacking..."

"Rats!" Master Croc exclaimed, punching his fist.

"No, bats!" Faun replied.

Ox rolled his eyes. Why was it always him...

"Just tell us, who leads the bats?" he queried, "And please try and keep it to the point! PLEASE!"

"Ok, ok... No need to be so edgy, there's no rush-" a rocket slammed into the ground about fifty yards away from them, and the explosion lit up the sky.

"Ok, so there might be a little rush-"

Two more rockets flew overhead, closely followed by a glider, making a slow banking turn, before firing another missile, then shooting back into the skies, narrowly avoiding several crossbow bolts that were fired after it.

"Alright, alright, there IS a rush! I got it, I got it..."

"Would you JUST tell us already! Lives are at stake!" Ox interrupted, pushing his face to the rhino's.

"Fine! The leader of the bats is a peacock who calls himself Lord Shen!"

"Good! Now that's all we wanted to hear!"

Master Croc slammed his fist into the ground, making a small earthquake. "This Lord Shen better watch out, because we.., because we..."

The reptile trailed off, as both Masters turned their gaze slowly back to Faun.

"Lord... Shen, you said?"

"Yup!" came the reply.

"The same one that knocked down the Tower of sacred flame, THAT Lord Shen?"

"Yup!" the rhino cocked his head, "Someone you know?"

"Yes we know him!" Ox hissed grimly, "That traitorous... He grew up under us, we trained him... Then he went and killed Master Thundering Rhino with those accursed weapons of his!"

This seemed to have an effect. "He... killed, Master Thundering Rhino?" Faun asked quaveringly.

"Yup!" both Masters replied at once.

The rhino's face turned white as a sheet. "AAAAAUUUUGHHGHHHHhhhhhhh...!" his screams were heard fading off into the distance, as he fled the city.

The two Masters looked at each other. "Lord Shen, huh?" Ox asked, a touch of despair creeping into his voice.

"What are we going to do, Ox?" Croc asked. Even he seemed somewhat nervous.

"I don't-" Ox was interrupted by a bat, slashing towards him with a wing blade. "Check that. Let's kick some bat..."

He noticed a small child staring at him. What was she doing here?

"... nevermind. Let's go!" he grabbed the child, and began making his way towards the palace, pummeling any bat with the misfortune to get too close. A small band of guards, surrounded by twice their number of bats, were singled out by the Masters. They lunged into the pack, powerful fists and claws creating craters in the bat legions. The group of guards took heart, and fought back with renewed strength.

The Masters, with several deer guards behind them, raced towards the palace. It's doors were locked, but the bats were pouring in through a hole in the ceiling. Several more guards were keeping them at bay, with a few giant crossbows backing them up.

"Get up there!" Ox shouted, leaping to the roof. The bats screeched, making way for the sudden reinforcements. They scattered, leaving the loyal defenders of the city in peace for now.

"Is this really the best Shen can do?" Croc questioned, laughing.

As if in response, a blue fiery rocket swept towards him, exploding the ceiling below them. They fell several feet into the palace.

Croc's laughter died on his lips, as the _Iron Princess_ slowly, mercilessly, advanced on the palace.

Ox looked around the palace. It was completely empty, as if a ghost had cleared every living soul from the area. However, a closed door on the other side of the room looked promising...

The group made their way to the door, and knocked.

"Do you really expect someone to answer?" Croc queried incredulously.

A flap opened, and two eyes peeked out. A few seconds later, the doors opened, and the group was admitted. The interior of the room was all stairs, spiraling downwards.

"The refugees are all here," the crane who had admitted them said simply, "As are all the leaders."

Ox set the child down, and she scampered off down the stairs. The group followed them.

While they walked, they also talked.

"Lord Shen is responsible for all of this?" Ox asked angrily, "How? I SAW him die, crushed below his own hellish creation!"

"I don't know. Shen simply sent us a message, telling us to surrender. We refused, not knowing the power he wielded... And the rest you already know," the crane ground his beak, thoughtfully, "I do not think we will win this. I have a feeling in my bones..."

The group reached another door, wrought of heavy steel and iron. It looked completely impenetrable. The crane knocked in an odd way, the sound echoing somberly around the cramped space.

Slowly, gratingly, the door swung partly open, just enough for the group to pass through. Ox looked around apprehensively, seeing all the huddled masses of refugees, behind a line of some of the braver royals and citizens.

They looked pathetic, terrified. Who could blame them? They were being jerked from their familiar lifestyles, into a hellish apocalypse, all because of an incarnation of the death angel itself, with weapons that shouldn't exist.

"What is the plan? Why are we all hiding down here?" Ox asked, voicing the opinion of several others in the room.

A goose stepped forward, looking extremely small against the massive bovine, but this goose was none other than Xu Nai Xan, emperor of China.

"We had hoped..." the emperor began, swallowing, "We had hoped to hold him off until morning. We have already sent distress messages to our neighboring cities, and the forces already in the city are hoping to hold them off until the reinforcements arrive."

The Ox was aghast. "Are you crazy? It's chaos up there, your forces are being creamed! You realize that they are practically committing suicide up there?!"

The goose looked sorrowfully at the floor, a tear rimming his eye. "I know. I know."

* * *

A glider banked left, dodging a crossbow bolt, before returning fire, destroying the crossbow with a fiery blue missile. The crossbow gone, the glider swooped downwards, skidding lower and lower, before impacting the ground, running bumpily to a stop. A door unfolded down, and seven bats flew out, landing on the ground in a line, each with a rocket-launcher. Behind them, the familiar form of Shen stepped gracefully out of the glider. He made his way directly to the palace's front doors, sealed shut.

A single slash from one of his knives cut through the metal bar on the other side of the door, and the massive double-door swung open. Shen stepped slowly in, not looking to the right or the left.

Five monkeys leaped forward to stop him, brandishing their polearms.

Shen refused to even turn his head. A single motion, three blades flashed outwards, and three monkeys dropped. The other two rushed forward, but Shen just kept walking, not even slowing down. The monkeys leaped upwards- and were brought crashing to the ground, as three previously unseen bats dropped on them from above, rendering them unconscious. The extra three bats got into line with the others, their own rocket-launchers ready and loaded.

Shen continued his stride towards the staircase doors, which he opened the same as the other. He walked sedately down the stairs, until he reached the massive double-doors at the bottom.

Shen didn't even try to slash this one open; he simply made a motion with his wing, a well- rehearsed signal. Two blue bolts zipped over his head, impacting the door on either side. The door collapsed, lying in a twisted heap on the ground. Shen walked over it, seeing for the first time all the refugees inside, and giving them their first sight of him. It was strange how so small an animal could be so terrifying.

"Good evening gentlemen!" Shen chuckled to himself as he said this, his eyes briefly passing over Masters Ox and Croc, "Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way,... Please leave my house."

"Your house?" Master Ox couldn't help but ask, "This is NOT your house, Shen."

"An old rhino said that to me once, and where is he now?" Shen retorted, not missing a beat, "And this WILL be my house soon enough." he turned his blood-red eyes on the emperor.

"I am setting myself up as emperor of China. All the leaders of the provinces are here, as witnesses..." he smirked. All the timing had come together so perfectly, it must be a sign that fate was on his side at last, "... Does anyone wish to-"

Shen was interrupted by the group of deer that the Masters had rescued lunging at him, swords drawn. Shen backflipped backwards, landing behind his line of bats.

Four blue streaks lit up the room, and four explosions shook the ground. When the smoke had cleared, there was very little of the guards left, and what was... no-one wanted to look at.

Shen smirked, looking at the small piles of ash. "I was going to say... does anyone wish to challenge me?"

The room was silent. No-one answered, you could have heard a pin drop.

"Good! In the presence of all the governors of the provinces, I pronounce myself emperor of China!"

Suddenly, an idea occurred to him, and he smiled. "This gathering of the leaders...they represent all of China, do they not?"

Still, no-one answered.

"I'll take that as a yes." Shen laughed, at the irony of what he was about to do. "Well then, 'all of China'...BOW!"

A muttering was heard spreading around the room. What did he mean?

"You heard me, BOW!" Shen shouted, his eyes protruding, "For thirty-one years, I have wanted China to bow at my feet. They all said that would be impossible, but you see, there is always another way. So now, China, bow before me!"

The room was filled with rustling, as every being in the room sank to their knees. Some, (mostly the citizens) sunk down first, while others came down later, the Masters last of all.

Shen was left the highest being in the room. He laughed, the eerie sound echoing in the vast chamber.

He smirked, then addressed the people. "You may now return to what is left of your lives. Go back to your homes, countries...provinces..." he eyed Masters Ox and Croc, "You had better be going back home."

The two Masters had honestly expected to be shot on the spot, and were now not quite sure whether to be thankful or not.

"What?" Shen asked, frowning, "I am not a completely cold-blooded killer. This day will mark a new era in the history of China. I want to start it right."

* * *

Dawn had come at last, the sun rising over the world.

The army marched in perfect syncopated rythm, marching towards the royal city. Over five thousand soldiers had been mustered, responding to the distress call that the royal city had sent out. The army was climbing the last hill before the city, and expected to see the city entrenched. What they saw took their breath away, horrifying them.

Illuminated by the early morning rays, the city lay sprawled out in front of them, with several thick pillars of smoke rising from it. Hovering a short distance above it, a large red oval hung over the city, connected to the ground by several ropes, resembling a massive tick, sucking the life from the metropolis. Traces of destruction lay everywhere.

But what sent shivers up the spine of the advancing army was the blood-red symbol on the side of the airship, the same symbol that now flew from the flag standing on the top of the palace spire.

The commander threw his helmet down, cursing. They were too late.

Shen was emperor of China.

* * *

_Author's note: Whoa... Um, all hail the emperor? Yeah, as I promised, four reviews later, here's an update! Anyway, keep in mind that, up to this point, evil Shen's actions have been mostly inconspicuous. However, one does not conquer China without anyone noticing. And Shen will not hold his new title for long, not of the Furiois Five and Dragon Warrior have anything to say about it! But this will certainly cause trouble for 'Good' Shen..._

_Oh, and to RobinRobert: Whoa! I said we are building up to the climax, not reaching it! There are still a few chapters left before the two peacocks finally meet, but they will mostly be either action-packed, or highly emotional. So I hope to keep you entertained!_

_See you four reviews later!_


	41. Emptiness

Chapter Forty-Two

The room was quiet, vast and cold. A chill of night ran through snowy feathers, so different than the cramped interior of the _Iron Princess_. The sun rose quickly, slowly illuminating the sky and city in ethereal glory.

So began the first day of the rule of Lord, no, Emperor Shen. Oh, how fantastical is the irony of nature, or the sense of humor that flows from the deity behind it. The morning was flawless, a sunrise of pure, fresh tones of red and orange, an infinite myriad of lighter and darker shades between. The heavenly glory struck in stark contrast with the overtly morbid attitudes of the inhabitants of the city, a gloomy pallor almost visible above each head.

Shen had won. Shen had won! The thought was so very alien, inconceivable in origin, that the mind repulsed it invariably, yet it always drifted back to wrap its tendrils around one's psyke once more. How had this happened?

The Masters Ox and Croc began their trek back to Gongmen as soon as possible, fearing Shen's swings of mind. Their city would have need of them in the days to come.

Shen stood on the balcony of a parapet, overlooking the city. It looked like hell, but to Shen's distorted eyes, there was no greater sight. He saw not only a city, but all of China, laid out before him like some rare and delectable meal, waiting to be used. This was his greatest ambition, fulfilled at last.

Words struggled to find utterance in his mind, yet nothing came. The ever-persistent claws of doubt began their familiar gnawing at his mind, yet still he stayed silent.

He had succeeded, in full denial of those who had scoffed, those who had listened to his dreams and plans as nothing wore than the wishful fancies of a childish mind.

Let them see him now.

Yet, in his greatest hour, his moment of glory, why did he feel so...empty? There was nothing inside him now. He never really knew what he expected to feel once his ambitions came to fruition, never pondering it. The emptiness within him was overwhelming, until emptiness was the only thing he could comprehend. There was no sudden feeling of warmth. The joy had been there, of course, as he stormed down the doors and destroyed the hopes of the rulers, but now, it had all faded away, draining like sludge in a drainpipe.

Were his parents proud of him now? If he was to stand before them, right now, would they smile, happy tears coming to their eyes, as they finally saw the greatness their son had brought to their name?

A deep unease within him, perhaps the tattered remnants of the prince that had once inhabited this body, told him otherwise.

No. That was the past, nothing more than a leash, holding him back from the future.

"The dead..." he muttered to himself, as there was no-one else to hear him, "The dead exist in the past... and I must, I MUST look to the future."

That was true in so many ways. The dead literal, and the dead metaphorically. The Prince Shen had died the day of his exile, and dead he would stay. He was not even Lord Shen now, but Emperor, mighty emperor of China!

Why then, did he feel so empty?

_"The cup you choose to fill has no bottom. Why not quit now, and find peace?" _

The ever-wise words of his nanny, the soothsayer, came back to haunt him. Had she been right? Should he have turned from his path?

No. There was no other option for him now, nor was there ever. He had set on his path the day he massacred the pandas, and there was no turning back. There was no turning back, even if he had tried. The world does not practice that which it preaches. Forgiveness, repentance... All very well and good in theory, but never in practice. There was no-one who would ever forgive him for what he had done, no matter how sorry he was.

Was he sorry, for massacring the pandas? Yes. Sorry he had missed that one crucial panda cub, sorry that he, himself, in a moment of weakness, decided to spare that cub's life. That was mercy, and look where that got him.

He never gave mercy again, after that.

Yet, that too had proved his downfall. If he had simply sailed past that panda, rather than blindly shooting cannons at him, China would have been his a year ago.

That was why he had decided to spare Masters Ox and Croc, and simply let the leaders go. Saving himself a conflict, hopefully both here and further down the road.

"All of this," he whispered, making an expansive sweep of his wing, "belongs to me. Just as it was designed to be."

It was an attempt to shake the bitter emptiness that was flooding his soul. It didn't work.

Shen sighed, and left the balcony.

* * *

Elsewhere, a crumpled form, cold and cramped, twitched. Brown fur heaved, and two orange slits appeared, as the creature's eyes fluttered open. The first thing that came to it's mind was pain.

Incredible, all consuming pain. The second was fear. Fear of dying, fear of the cold blocks of stone, pressed against it's back. Fear of the trap. The creature struggled, sending small jolts of pain jolting through it's body. The creature twisted, then twisted more, until it was lying face up, underneath the crushing stone. Trembling, somewhat bloodied paws felt over the slab, before punching it repeatedly in desperation. The stone crumbled!

A few minutes later, a brown paw erupted from the pile of rubble, clutching for something, anything, to pull itself up. Gasping was heard, as a brown striped feline pulled herself out of the dirt and stone fragments, before collapsing on the ground.

She looked to the sky, her orange eyes meeting the sullied morning beauty, fouled by the crimson red eye that now flew from the palace spire.

Anger flooded her tortured being, as memories rushed back to her. They were painful, how could they not be? She had just witnessed the death of her dreams, her ambitions, her life... The thing she had trained so hard for, fought so long for, all gone in three blue flashes. The peacock had done nothing to deserve his power, he only destroyed that which she had spent her life building.

Her mind's eye saw it all again, as the glider swooped lower and lower, firing three rockets before anyone knew what was happening. The impact of the rockets into the Lee Da Kung Fu academy sent waves of anger and fear into her heart, as she re-witnessed the scene of destruction. The whole academy collapsed, taking the feline's livelihood along with it. She had spent so very long training to become a teacher at the academy, and just when it seemed like her dreams were within grasp...

The peacock had to go and take them from her.

She attempted to stand, but collapsed, her legs buckling beneath her. She was tired, and injured...

She felt warm hands grasping around hers, and she looked up blearily. A child, about thirteen years of age, stood there, attempting to help her up.

"Are you alright?" the child asked worriedly, "I saw you fall, and I just thought I should help..."

"Do I look like I'm alright?" the feline snapped, rather harshly, then softened, "Sorry. That was uncalled for, and I apologize. But I do need your help..."

She then attempted to stand again, leaning on the child for support.

"Who are you?" the child asked, "What is your name?"

The feline sighed. "I am...or was, Master Mountain Cat. But now, I guess I'm just Mei Ling..."

"Master..." the child mouthed thoughtfully, "You were from the Lee Da Kung Fu academy, weren't you?"

"I was, Mei Ling answered shortly, looking sorrowfully at the pile of rubble, "But not anymore."

"It must be hard for you, to have your whole life taken away like that..." the child sighed, looking as sorrowful as Mei Ling.

The feline examined the child closely. Was it just her, or had the child seemed a whole lot older when he just said that?

"Who are you?" Mei Ling asked, still searching the child's face.

"Well, my name is Dao Zing Chu, and I live just over there," -he pointed to a small house, only a few feet away- "And I saw you come out. I thought that you needed help."

"Well, kid- Er, I mean Dao," Mei Ling corrected herself, "You certainly were right."

Mei Ling attempted a step, before nearly collapsing from a jolt of pain.

"Here, let's get you inside," Dao said, helping her up again, "Just, uh, lean on me."

Several hours later, Mei Ling sat on a bed, sipping herbal tea. This was not ordinary tea, she had mixed a special healing brew in with it, soothing her sore limbs. Very few people knew the secret to this brew, Mei ling herself only knew it because someone taught it to her...

She looked downwards, at her heavily bandaged legs. She had to admit, this kid and his mother were good with the wrappings. She very much owed them...

A sigh escaped her lips, as she thought on her predicament. What was she to do now? Shen had destroyed everything, and he had won. She could go nowhere in China that was not within his reach, and he was now free to wreak as much havoc on her beloved country as he wished. And there was nothing she could do about it. There was nothing she would like better than to destroy that peacock, but he was the emperor now, he had all the defenses of China at his wingtips. She wouldn't stand a chance.

Another sigh. It would have been better if she had gone with...

She jolted upright, as an idea struck her. A face, a voice, filled her thoughts. The one who had taught her this brew...

Master Crane.

She now remembered him, in exact detail. As he, he, when no-one else could, succeeded in that horrendous obstacle course. That was the moment when the dream of being a teacher of Kung Fu had claimed her, seeing the profound difference her encouragement had made on Crane's life.

Crane had been called away, to join the most prestigious group of warriors in China. The offer had been made to her as well, but she had refused, still wanting to follow her dream.

How stupid. Crane was not the one with his dreams now crushed...

But, perhaps, he could fix her dreams for her. Him, or that group of warriors he was now part of.

She stood up, now knowing what she was going to do. She was going to the Valley of peace.

* * *

It was a two-week journey from the royal city to the Valley of peace, and Mei ling had to be careful not to rush herself. However, like most things she put her mind to, she had eventually made her destination, and now stood at the top of the thousand steps, before the doors of the Jade palace. It was picturesque, completely beautiful. But she had not come here for sightseeing.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the double-doors in front of her open. They didn't budge. She was confused for a few seconds, then smiled. Taking a step back, she pulled the doors, her smile increasing as the doors slid open.

Taking a few quick, somewhat tentative steps inside, Mei ling stopped. The doors shut of their own accord, startling her. Although she was fully aware of the urgency of the situation, she could not help but look around the room. It was beautiful, the ornately carved pillars so carefully placed throughout the room. The gentle sound of water reached her ears, and she found herself unconsciously walking towards the source. Before her, a perfectly round pool of water lay, so wholly still that the surface looked like polished glass. Above the pool, a golden statue of a dragon curled on the ceiling.

Mei Ling began to get nervous. This was obviously a sacred place, a place that one had no business snooping around in, unless you had a very good reason.

"But I do have a good reason." she said to herself. The sound echoed around, eerily loud in the silence. She shuddered; there was no way she was going to speak again.

She looked around, scanning the room. Where was everybody? Everything was completely silent...

"Finished sightseeing yet?" a deep, slightly monotone voice rung out behind her, breaking the silence.

Mei ling yelped, whirling to face the owner of the voice. She saw a tigress, standing with arms crossed in front of the pool. Where had she come from?

Mei ling straightened herself, trying to find words. "Well...uh.. Yes! I'm finished..."

The tigress suddenly flew into a tiger-style Kung Fu pose, so swiftly that Mei Ling felt a breeze. She raised her eyebrows, impressed. This tiger obviously knew some moves...

"Who are you? Identify yourself!" the tigress commanded.

Mei ling frowned. Alright, she had to admit, this certainly looked bad for her...

"I am, or was... Master Mountain cat," she began, "But now, I am known by my name, Mei Ling..."

The tigress raised an eye skeptically. "You realize that I don't believe you, right?"

"I was afraid of that..." Mei Ling sighed, clapping her paw to her forehead. She knew the rules of Kung Fu; as long as she does not show any aggression, this tigress cannot attack her.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Master Tigress, master of the tiger style of Kung Fu in the Furious Five," came the reply.

Mei ling's eyes brightened.

"Oh good! I came here to find you..."

Tigress growled. "As far as I'm concerned, you're still a thief..."

"Well," Mei ling replied, "You could get Master Crane. He could recognize me for you!"

Tigress thought a short while, considering. Heh, it couldn't hurt...

"Very well. But stay in front of me, I don't want to be surprised..."

The two felines made their way down hall after hall, each less ornate and fancy than the last. Eventually, they reached a hallway of bare-bones rooms, with basic paper walls.

"Crane!" Tigress called, keeping her eyes on Mei Ling, "Come on out here! There's someone here to see you..."

"Just a second!" a voice floated over the air, and a few seconds later, the shape of the tall avian emerged from one of the rooms. He looked like he had been painting, not from any visible paint splotches, but from the dreamy, somewhat faraway look in his eyes. That look, however, quickly faded as he got a look at his guest. He looked like a gawking duck for a few seconds...

That couldn't be... It couldn't...

"Hello Crane!" Mei Ling said softly.

"Mei ling?" Crane stuttered, then smiled happily, "Mei Ling! It's good to see you again!"

He stepped forward, and gave her a hug, which she returned. Tigress relaxed. He obviously knew her...

"It's good to see you too, Crane..." she replied, stepping back to look at him. He looked so much more confident, so much more...powerful, than he had, how long was it? Twenty, twenty-five years? No, it had only been fifteen or so, but man, he still looked great! In stark difference with her, she was sure she looked disheveled somewhat...

"What brings you here? Did you ever become a teacher, like you wanted?"

Mei ling darkened visibly, and Crane noticed. "What's wrong?"

"I'll answer your first question first. I came here to ask you, and your friends" - she gestured to Tigress, who looked away quickly - "help. Shen has destroyed my livelihood, everything... He destroyed the academy, Crane!" her voice cracked as she said this, and almost visible tears came to her eyes, "And he has taken China. You are a group of warriors who are not affiliated with China's actual armies, so I would like you... I would like us to go and stop him."

She looked up at Crane, to see his reaction. His mouth was hanging open, and his eyes were bulging sorta... She looked to Tigress in confusion, which intensified as she saw the same expression (but a whole lot milder) on the orange felines face.

"What's the matter?"

"Did you say... Shen? As in... Lord Shen?" Crane asked haltingly.

"That's the one! Really, is there another?" came the reply.

Tigress stared. The thought of that peacock, her personal worst enemy, still alive, and ruling China, sickened her to her stomach... especially considering that he was supposed to be dead.

"But that's impossible!" she declared, stepping closer to the other feline, "Shen is dead! I saw him die!"

"And I saw him destroy the Royal city!" Mei Ling retorted, "You can't not believe me!"

"No-one's not believing you!" Crane said soothingly, "But we need to understand, are you SURE that it was Lord Shen?"

Mei Ling looked at him strangely. "Of course I'm sure! How many other white peacocks, who have weapons made of fireworks, who also happen to have a red symbol that looks like an eye, are there?"

Crane signed. That was Shen, alright.

"But how, Crane?" Tigress questioned, "I saw him die! You saw him die! How could this happen?"

"You didn't know that Shen had taken China?" Mei ling cocked an eyebrow.

"No," Crane replied, somewhat embarrassed, "But news is rather slow to reach the Valley of peace, due to it's isolation, so..."

"Alright already!" Mei Ling interrupted, laughing.

Crane was almost taken aback. He had forgotten Mei ling's habit of interrupting.

"Crane, we have to tell Master Shifu," Tigress reminded, her eyes showing great concern, "I'll go tell him..." her voice faded away, as she ran off.

Crane looked at Mei Ling, suddenly embarrassed for some odd reason. "Well..." he stuttered, "I'll...just go after Tigress!" he zipped out the hall, going off down the other halls.

Mei ling frowned. Crane... Same as always. He still didn't know how to act around her? Really, he should have learned by now. But, on another side, she was glad he hadn't changed, she secretly thought that a fully confident, suave Crane would be awful...

Suddenly, a gong sounding several times broke her thoughts. She walked off down the hall, hoping to find the source of the noise.

She did, finding a gong, with an elderly red panda standing next to it, who she recognized. It was Master Shifu. She bowed deeply.

Master Shifu seemed slightly surprised to see her, but the expression faded, and he nodded to her. "Mei Ling," he said simply, by way of greeting.

Tigress and Crane both stood behind him, and they were soon joined by a green tree viper, and a monkey. On a second glance, Mei ling noticed a Chinese mantis perched on the monkey's shoulder.

"Master Monkey," Shifu nodded, "Master Viper, Master Mantis, Crane and Tigress are already here" - he looked around quickly - "Where is Po?"

A crashing sound was heard, coming from the hallway behind Shifu.

"There he is," Shifu remarked calmly, "We'll just wait for him, as this concerns him, more than any of us."

A very few minutes later, a giant panda barged into the room, knocking into Crane.

"Sorry! Hey everybody, what's up?" he looked down at himself, "My pants aren't ripped are they? No? Good... So, what's this about then?"

"Panda, a matter of great importance has come up," Master Shifu began, looking to each of them in turn, "We have been informed by Mei Ling that... Lord Shen is alive..."

A collective gasp went up around the room, along with a few "impossible!"'s. Po, however, the one most likely to say something, was strangely silent, however. His eyes were wide, and he looked horrified.

Tigress noticed this, but she assumed it to be from the shock of finding out that his arch-nemesis was alive.

"...And has taken China. He attacked the royal city two weeks ago, taking it in under five hours. He placed himself in the place of emperor, and no-one had the strength to stop him."

"How..." Tigress breathed, "How could he have taken such a large city so quickly?"

Shifu looked grave. "He had a new weapon, a more portable version of his older cannons, which spits arrows of blue fire. His armies, using them, destroyed all in their path. But more than that, he had some kind of flying abomination, which floated above the city, raining down the fiery death."

Mei Ling stared in amazement. How had he known all this? Even she, who had been there, did not know all that... Huh. Must be part of his "Master" intrigue...

"But that's impossible!" Mantis exclaimed, "That guy's dead!"

"That is what I thought as well..." Shifu replied.

His eyes scanned the Furious Five, Mei Ling, and Po. He rested his eyes on Viper. The snake, and youngest of the group. She looked strange, and not just from horror, or disbelief, but of denial. That could be from a shock at the peacock being alive, but... Master Shifu was old enough to know better. This was denial over Shen, an "I can't believe it, he wouldn't do something like that, and he couldn't anyway", kind of look.

"...but I believe that Viper can enlighten us."

Viper winced, pulling herself lower to the ground, if that was possible. He had known! How had he known?

* * *

Viper slithered up the stairs of the tower at Heaven's pothole, feeling extremely scared, and extremely disgusted with herself. Perhaps he would not be here, please, PLEASE don't let him be here...

"Looking for somebody?" a familiar voice toned out behind her. It had never seemed so unwelcome in her life.

"You really... What's the matter?"

Viper turned her head, and caught sight of the peacock, sitting on the banister, looking at her. "Nothing, oh, nothing..." she said, the words coming out in an odd strained tone.

Shen was puzzled, not at all believing her. There was almost definitely something wrong.

"I never, and still don't, like people that lie to my face," - he looked closely at her face, studying her - "and I am under the impression that's what you're doing."

"Sometimes it is necessary..." Viper choked out weakly.

Now what did that mean? Shen's eyes narrowed, those red orbs focusing on her, and she backed away slightly. Now THERE was something strange. She had never done that before, and it was only from a glance...

"Is there something bothering you? I'm not all that good with comforting, you know, but I'm reasonably sure that you would need to tell me what's bothering you before I can even begin."

No answer.

A sigh escaped Shen's beak. Females. They still seemed so odd to him...

"Well, then perhaps you could tell me; why ARE you here?"

Viper froze. "Um... uh, I.." she limpened, "I'm here to... Look, Shen, you have come a long way, and you really have changed, but now..." - she swallowed, looking from side to side - "now, you have to look at things in context. See, some things that are bad, might seem bad at the time, but they aren't really, you just have to be patient...am I making any sense?"

Shen thought a while, mouthing the words 'bad' over and over. Eventually he shook his head.

She sighed. "What I'm trying to say is, that I really think that you have changed, but there's just a small issue that needs fixing..." tension began to grow within her body, and she was starting to tremble.

"Well, I'm happy that you finally agree with me," Shen replied, smiling oddly, "It certainly...it certainly wouldn't have been possible without you..."

"Huh?" Viper whispered, trying her best to control herself.

"Well, just think for a moment. If you had not rescued me from that river, I would not be here now. Who knows what would have happened," he smiled, shaking his head slightly, "But you rescued me, and because of that, I was set on this... path, I suppose... What I am trying to say is... Thank you."

_"Oh gosh, not now! Not now!"_ Viper thought frantically.

"You saved me," Shen continued, "and set me here. And I can't thank you enough..."

He looked down, to gauge her reaction. He felt foolish saying those things to her, but they needed to be said. The look on Viper's face was odd, tight and twisted, as if she was angry, yet at the same time, very depressed.

"Look, Shen..." she began weakly, "I-I...need to tell you that...You're welcome."

"Pathetic!" she shouted to herself in her mind.

"Well I-"

"HIYAH! Don't move!"

A voice rang out behind him, an oddly familiar, feminine voice.

Shen cocked his head- and then nearly had a heart attack. That tigress, the one who had snarled in his face on the boats, was standing on the stairs. He looked back at Viper frantically, who had a look of...resignation, on her face.

In fact, she almost looked happy, mirroring Tigress's expression...

His heart almost stopped beating. In fact, he wished it had, so he could just die, and escape this nightmare. He had worried over this snake's motives, all the way from the very start, keeping his guard up constantly, before finally deciding to let it go. Well, now he had his answer. Po had told him the story of scorpion, and how she was defeated by the might of the "poison called friendship". Shen had though at the time that it was another one of those paradox things, but now he saw it different.

Viper herself had no venom, but she sure could be friendly. Now, now he had his answer. Now he knew what her motives were.

They were not some heavenly, inexplicable driving force, but a low and base desire for revenge. Shen had always considered himself good at that, getting vengeance, but now he saw how truly pathetic that was. Viper had planned this whole scheme up, letting him soften, putting hooks in him, bonds, then, at the end of it all ripping them away, hurting him in a place that was still sore. She was not content with bringing revenge to his body, or even his mind. No, she wanted to strike him in the most painful place of all: his heart. This was what you get for allowing enemies closer to your heart. Lies. And worst of all...he had believed her. He had believed a lie...

Only a few short months ago, this betrayal would have outraged him, sending him into a whirling frenzy.

But now, there was nothing within him. He had believed a lie...

"All a lie..." he said softly, sinking to his knees. He was utterly empty, there was no fight left in him.

Tigress, who was extremely tense, was waiting for the peacock to do something. When he suddenly sank down, she misinterpreted it as a Kung Fu move, and struck without thinking.

Shen felt the impact on the back of his head, and also felt the world greying up around him. But he did not fight it, he simply let himself sink to the floor. He saw the world fade, and Viper was directly in front of him.

"I'm sorry..." she mouthed, just before everthing was gone.

Viper's venom had done it's work well.

* * *

"I'm sorry! What else was I to do!?" Viper called, but she got no answer. She had been saying that a lot lately...

"You could have told us! This is most dishonorable..." Master Shifu reprimanded angrily, his knuckles white around Grandmaster Oogway's staff,"You have brought shame to you, your family, the Furious Five, and to myself. You will be punished."

The way he said it made Viper's blood run cold. Which is difficult, since she was cold-blooded to begin with...

"What I don't understand is, how can Shen be here, and yet have taken China, at the same time?" Crane asked, "It just doesn't make any sense..."

"Perhaps he followed Mei ling back here?" Mantis suggested.

"We could question him when he comes round," Monkey pointed out, "Something along the lines of 'greetings, peacock. We meet at last...' kind of thing. That might work..."

"Viper?" Shifu asked.

"Don't look at me!" Viper exclaimed, "He has been where he was for almost a year, and I don't see..."

"Is it possible he could have commanded his armies from a distance?" Tigress asked.

"I don't know..." she muttered. She felt awful. Completely awful. She was sure that if awful was an element, than she would be it's avatar.

"That is possible..." Shifu mused, thinking hard, "But whatever the reason, we now have Shen. However, his armies still have the former emperor hostage, so you will still have to go to the Royal city, work with the people there, rescue the emperor, and destroy Shen's army, and those flying abominations of his."

"Yes Master," everyone, even Mei ling, bowed.

"Not you, Viper," Shifu corrected her bow, a dark expression on his face, "You will stay here, and your punishment will be to keep an eye on Shen while the others are gone."

Viper started, fighting the surge of emotions that were strangling her words. "No, no Master! Not that! Please, anything but that!"

Shifu remained resolute, as he always was. For him, the world was black and white, clear cut. Could he not see the mortal intensities that surrounded them all? Whatever became of compassion, of a second chance?

Her eyes, quavering and fearful, drifted to Po. A connection, a spark, had always played every time the eyes met. Now there was nothing, as Po turned away.

_"I'm ashamed of you."_

The words were unspoken, but she felt them everywhere. Not only from the panda, but from everyone. Master Shifu, Tigress, Po...Shen... They all radiated the same balefully painful aura. It really seemed unjust, that everyone's scorn and shame rested on her. Most especially Po.

She had worded her case very carefully, leaving no trace that Po was ever involved. They had a job to do, and a hard one at that. Deep down, although the idea was poignant to her, she knew that Po, although he had been deprived of the several years of training that she had travailed in, was the better warrior. And the best were needed.

And yet, she knew that it wasn't about that. Po was disappointed in her, for breaking a promise that she had sworn under. She had buckled so very easily, so very easily... She broke. In the end, that's all she was, nothing but a broken vessel, a shattered glass... Unable to even hold to her own words.

She sometimes wondered why, when she felt deeply turmoiled, that her words became so much more fluent and varied. It was if her spirit reached into a well of regret, pulling out ideas and philosophies unknown to her conscience before.

She needed it, herself was her only friend, and yet, it was resentful to her. She hated herself for what she had done.

If only she had left him in that river! And how was it even possible that he could have taken China, that made no sense at all...

She realized that her mind was creating excuses, shrouds to cover the overwhelming guilt at the betrayal she had unleashed. But she did not fight them, hiding within them to cover her own shame.

Yet, when in her minds eye, she saw Shen's face, pained and... heartbroken... All her petty excuses faded into nothingness.

She couldn't stand to see him, not for who he was, but for what he reminded her of what she was. A traitor. She was assaulted by sudden memories of phantom laughter, as she saw it all again, the pain that exuded from the peacock's heart piercing her own. In his eyes, she had seen anger, then sorrow.

But what she saw come into his eyes was not nearly as painful as that which had left. She had seen a spark, a spark of life, that had only just turned into a flame in it's own right, able to stand on it's own, a tiny flame which she had tended, nurturing from a spark. She had seen the tiny bud of a conscience, just beginning to form, and trusts being created. And then she had seen it all die, all fading into emptiness. She had destroyed what she had created. And she had no other choice.

* * *

The Masters were leaving. Shifu stayed behind, as he always did, to oversee the Valley. She bade them farewell. No-one returned the favor. Only Tigress looked back at her, with a look of such scoring shame and anger that Viper wished she hadn't. But under the anger, there was hurt. Hurt at betrayal, hurt that a friend had done this. The expression was not unlike Shen's, actually.

Tigress was indeed hurt. The feeling that invaded her senses was grief, a feeling not unknown to her. She was betrayed, and the full extent of the betrayal shocked her. The peacock had seemed pained, betrayed. Such a look from him could only mean that the snake had grown close to him... the thought sickened her. She hated Shen, hated him for what he was, for who he was, and what he had done. But most of all, she hated him because he was a mirror image of herself. She had seen past the glassy eyes, and seen someone who had always been trying to impress those close to him, and had always failed, constant rejections enclosing his heart in a stone wall.

Just like her. The resemblance was uncanny, the thought that a murderer could be so very similar to her was frightening. She repulsed the thought, and ran down the stairs after the others, tears doing their best not to show underneath her eyes.

Now she was alone. Once more, a friendless monster.

Viper sighed watching the others leave. Not a longing sigh, but a heavy, dreary one which shook the heart. Shifu stood next to her. She could not bear to look into his eyes, afraid of what she might see...

Avoiding his gaze, she slunk away into the lower rooms, to keep an eye on Shen.

* * *

_Author's note: and you thought that this would be a slow chapter! Well, Shen sure took it hard, didn't he? I feel sorry for him though... I really had been dreading writing this chapter. I feel that I mishandled it, I had it all down perfectly in my head, but it wouldnt come down on paper... Or text._

_Oh, and that mini-OC at the beginning? Dao? Yeah, I had trouble finding a name for him. I used a chinese name-generator, and the first thing it came up with was 'Shen'. Well, I couldn't really use that, so I tried again. It came up with 'Fan'. That name is already taken by someone in the KFP community, so I tried again, and it came up with 'Kuang'. (Anyone who has read the fanfiction 'Fullfil your Destiny' by Dat Salveodorean Chick will understand why this is funny)_

_And special thanks to Shire from CollieandShire for unwittingly giving me a great deal of help with this chapter!_

_Anyway, please remember, that when I get four reviews for this chapter, I will update! So review! _


	42. Dreaming

Chapter Forty-Three

Everything was black, there was nothing but black, black was all that was. There was no ground, no air, and no sound. Only darkness. And yet, it was not an insentient darkness, feelings and emotion played, with no clear source and no clear end. There was hurt in the darkness, pain, and emptiness. Emptiness is a strange feeling, being the sensing of nothing, and nothing of feeling. The emotions drifted meaninglessly throughout the void, coming and going. Lonesomeness. The feeling of a lost soul, cut away from that which made it whole, an abyssmal pit of nothingness, in nothingness.

This was the playground of the mind, where the line between rational thought was blurred between the line of the soul. Here was where the soul detected one's deepest emotions, and translated them into the mind's worldview.

Pain, pain at everything, swept through the senses, causing Shen to recoil back, further into his subconscious. There was a burden on his senses, a troubling weight that depressed him. However, in this unreal scape, he could not quite pinpoint what it was.

He wanted to be comforted, to cling to someone, but there was no-one, nor would there ever be. He had lost the comforters in his life long ago. In all honesty, he was probably too old to wish comfort, but he didn't feel old. In fact, right now he felt younger and smaller than ever before.

Slowly, light faded into the darkness, a tiny pinprick appearing, illuminating the entire area... Or at least the area around him.

Shen observed it, fascinated. It was odd, the light just shone there, not hanging or supported by anything... It had nothing to shine on, however, except for him. He could see himself... He looked down, and could only see darkness beneath his feet, stretching on to infinity.

What was he doing here? What had happened? Slowly, memories came drifting back, sluggishly, and hard pulled to him. They were all sour and pallid, lifeless distortions of what had really happened. Colors were muted, lights were dimmed. All the subtle complexities of each voice had drained away, every person speaking in the same, monotone voice.

And yet, it was enough. Enough to relight the fires of sorrow that smoldered within the recesses of his mind, doused by soothing forgetfulness.

She had betrayed him, cruelly and maliciously. It had all been a lie. She had set him up... had the panda been in on it as well? He didn't know, but he would assume. He would never trust again... The thought of that word drove him almost to tears. He had really, honestly wanted to learn, to trust and be trusted. He had genuinely believed the snake, that there was such a thing as redemption, hope for a second... third chance. But it had been a lie, a lie which he believed...

And there was no-one to comfort him, as much as he wanted it. He was alone, his mind decaying in the solitude, and there was nothing he could do... Now he knew how those panda's must have felt, as they took their last, dying breaths... A spasm passed through him, at the memory of his most horrible crime ever.

Only here, in the playground of the mind, they did not remain memories, but became a reality. He could see, as if he was there, the panda village... Children were flying their colorful kites, drifting on the wind. Another kite flashed before his mind, a large golden fish, flying at the Gongmen new years...watching it with his siblings...

The vision shifted, back to the panda children. The kites were still there, although now they looked more like monsters, spurting blue fire as they soared overhead, no longer leashed by a string... The massive kites whirled, chasing the children.

"No, no," Shen exclaimed, "Stop! Stop it!"

Shen's words went not unnoticed, as one of the kites turned directly towards him, flying low to the ground. Shen watched it get closer and closer, until it was only a few feet away. He could see the kite in perfect detail... and he could see a figure on top of it. He examined it... Then time seemed to slow down, as he recognized.. Himself..on top of it!

The kite impacted him, and the symbol of a red eye filled his entire vision...

The red eye diminished shrinking down to the eyespot on a white peacock's train, as the peacock swirled upwards, wielding a familiar jagged lance... The peacock rushed towards a panda, who was fleeing in terror...

Shen tried to look away, but there was nowhere else to look. His eyes were fixed on the grisly scene, with no place to run...

After a few horrible minutes, the vision faded, leaving Shen in the grips of absolute terror. Shivers rippled up and down his body, as he fought against his own emotions...

It was no use. A few minutes later, Shen found himself crying, heavy, deep tears pouring from his eyes. There was no hope for him, he was a monster, a monster! How foolish he was to have believed that there was any second chance for him!

A swirling of light and darkness. Violin music.

Shen knew what those two phenomena heralded, but he was too far gone to care.

"Shen! Shen!" a concerned feminine voice rang out, "Are you alright?"

Shen didn't say anything, he only buried his head beneath his wings.

Nehsa wrapped her wings around the troubled peacock, giving him a soothing hug. Shen did not return it.

"Shen, it's alright..." Nehsa said comfortingly, "I'm here now, I'm here now..."

"You were right, Nehsa," Shen spoke at last, "You were right all along. She... she only set me up. I was such a fool..."

"I know... I'm sorry, Shen, I really am..." Nehsa replied, laying a gentle wing on his, "But I'm here now. I'm here for you, and always will be."

"Good," Shen moaned. It was true. Nehsa was his oldest friend, and she had never once betrayed him. Every other person in his life had failed him, or worse, actively hurt him.

He did not realize that Nehsa had betrayed him more than anyone. She was his insanity, and she had ruined him.

Shen let Nehsa hug him, before sinking into her comforting feathers...

* * *

Rain fell heavily, a blanket of grey entrapping the landscape around the six warriors, aptly mirroring the somber emotions that flowed through each fighter's mind and heart. Mei Ling felt mixed. It was Shen that she wanted, not his armies. However, her first duty was to the emperor, there was no point arguing that. Still, she couldn't help but wonder why the people at the Jade palace had not just killed Shen now, instead of imprisoning him.

Of course, she knew the reasons why, she was actually questioning the people who had made the rules. The people at the Jade palace couldn't kill Shen, because one, he was still the emperor, until the old emperor was rescued he would still be treated as one. Two, Kung Fu rules dictate that killing was wrong, and only was permissible when there was simply no other option. And three, having him captive would provide valuable morale-crushing to his armies. They would bring him to the royal city anyways, to swear China back over to Xu Nai Zan, and then, he was their problem. He would probably end up on the execution block...

Mei Ling smiled at the thought. That was what she fought towards.

The group walked onwards, climbing over the rough terrain of Snowy peak, heading towards the bridges to leave the Valley. It would be a two-week walk, and they shuddered to think of what was happening to the people at the Royal city right now.

Little did they know that time was even more critical than they knew. As Shen, the one that had really taken China, was in no way captive. Perhaps he was, in his mind, but that would not stop him from destroying anything that displeased him.

The warriors, unaware of this, continued their trek through the rain, looking (and feeling) miserable. The Royal city was their target, and they would keep going until they reached it. It would take a lot more than a little rain to stop them. Crane, forced by the rain to walk, trudged along, now more than proud of his hat, which was the source of much humor from the other members of the Five. Now, it did a fine job of keeping his face dry, as well as Mantis's entire body.

Crane was the only member of the Five to have ever been to the Royal city, and he sorta wished that he was going back under different circumstances.

He found his mind unconsciously drifting to nogastaliac thoughts of the feline that strode next to him, looking obviously uncomfortable about the rain. He had used to tease her about that, the one thing that he didn't mind, and she did. Of course, every time he did, she would remind him of all the things that spooked him, and he would get dejected, walk off, and probably mope for the rest of the day...

Yup, she was his best friend. She was the one who had given him the wonderful gift of confidence, without which he would never have entered the academy, and consequencely, would never have become a member of the Furious Five. He literally wouldn't be here without her. When he had entered the academy,

his admiration for her quickly grew into friendship, as he learned that not all Masters were high, lofty and cold. Although he soon found new friends due to his rapidly increasing skill and Kung Fu knowledge, Mei Ling had always stayed in a special spot next to his heart.

When he had been offered the spot as one of the Furious Five, he was overjoyed, even more so when he learned that she had received the offer as well. But, she had refused. When he had asked why, she had only replied "because of you...". Only after Crane had actually reached the Jade Palace, had she sent a letter explaining in more detail. She had said that watching Crane grow from an insecure and unconfident dweeb, (Crane had frowned at that description,) into the proud warrior he was now, was the most spiritually uplifting experience in her life, and that she wanted to help more people come into their own.

That had touched him, but somewhat made him feel...used. Looking back, he realized that had been silly.

Of course, Mantis and Monkey had wanted to know who sent the letter, and when he told them, they had wanted to know about her... The end result had been teasing about how he had the gall to leave his poor "girlfriend' behind, (there had been no Viper to tell them to lay off then). Crane had been so embarrassed... He still got comments from those two about it. It was ridiculous of course, that he could have any feelings for the mountain cat was preposterous. Although they may have had a reason to think that Crane had been interested, she was outright gorgeous, after all...

Alright, perhaps he MIGHT have a TINY crush on her, but that meant nothing.

Crane had been so deeply wrapped up in his thoughts that he failed to notice the stump in front of him. His foot impacted the object, and he let out a yelp, as he fell forward. Fortunately, all those years of balance training had not gone to waste, and he managed to recover himself before he hit the ground. His toe still hurt though...

"Walk much?" Mantis asked, a grin plastered on his green face.

"Not..really," Crane replied, rubbing his injured toe, "I prefer flying, less stumps."

"Hah, I guess that's right!" the insect shrugged, still grinning.

"Look, if you would like to continue making fun of the fact that I...tripped," Crane retorted, grinding his beak, "Then perhaps you would like to walk." he gestured to the wet and muddy ground around them.

"No, no! I'll just keep quiet..."

"Good," came the reply.

The group continued their trek, walking onwards, higher and higher up the mountain. About five hours later, they had reached the summit, and were about to begin the journey downwards, when Po tripped... Crane caught him, avoiding a quick trip down in a snowball.

"Thanks, Crane," the panda heaved, "That was..."

"Don't mention it," Crane replied, "ever..."

The sudden whooshing of wind interrupted their little conversation, and all six warriors looked up. A large dark shape hurtled overhead, obscure in the falling sleet. It faded away, until it was out of sight. But they all knew what it was. A condor. A bad omen.

This ominous sign hung over the group, weighing their spirits down further. Tigress seemed markedly more distant than normal, which was odd, as she was distant ordinarily. Of course, it was not hard to guess why, as she and Viper had been closer than anyone had ever been to her. The thought of her, betraying them all and harboring an enemy, was hurtful to all of them, Tigress especially.

It was not, however, particularly hurtful to Po, for obvious reasons... He considered telling the others that he had been in on it, but only because Shen had promised to try to change himself, but he thought better of it. Considering their current destination, telling them that Shen had decided to change himself might not be the best idea. As for that, he had no idea what to think about that. He still was unable to wrap his head around the idea that Shen had taken China. How? While he and Viper had their backs turned, had he been secretly negotiating and ordering his troops? He didn't believe it. There had to have been some mistake, some misunderstanding...

But he was ashamed of Viper. She had betrayed Shen, after everything she had told him, all it had taken was a glare from Shifu for her to buckle and blurt the whole story. Po winced at the thought of the torture that must be going through the peacock's mind right now...

Po looked up, and saw that the other warriors were pulling away from him. Putting his thoughts on hold for now, he ran after the others.

* * *

Viper sat, curled disconsolately in a corner. This wasn't fair, it just wasn't fair! Why did she have to watch Shen? Didn't Master Shifu realize how painful this was for her? The look in Shen's eyes, as he noticed her expression... Of course, there was no way for him to know that she had been putting it on...

She raised her head, glancing at the form of the white peacock, who huddled in the corner of the dirty cell he was confined in.

He looked even more miserable than she did. He had not said anything the whole time, hadn't moved, not even changed his expression. Viper would have doubted that he was conscious, although the occasional blink told her otherwise.

But what really had her worried was the way he held himself. Even when she had just pulled him out of a river, or when he was caught in a robe that he hated, he had always kept an immaculate expression, his headcrest erect, and his eyebrows held high. Now, his crest lay drooped across his forehead, obscuring her view of his eyes, and his eyebrows lay flat against his face. He looked completely forlorn...which he was.

The thought still sent painful vibrations down her spine. She was such a bad person... But Shen had taken China, killed people! If anyone was bad, it was him.

Her eyes travelled over him again, still wearing the Yin/Yang robe she had bought him. There had to be some explanation...

"Shen?" she tried again, for the third time, "Shen, please answer..."

Shen gave no verbal answer, but he did turn away, facing the wall.

Viper was encouraged somewhat. The other times, he had given no response whatsoever, not even a blink.

"Shen, please... I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." no answer. Viper began to get angry.

"Look, Shen, I'm really sorry and all for betraying you, but you did sort of take over China. What gave you the slightest indication that I would not betray you?"

That got a response. Shen slowly turned his head, looking directly in her eyes. "Because," he began, his voice scratchy, "because you promised. But I was a fool to believe you. It was nothing but a lie, just like everything else..." his head slumped again, and he said no more.

Viper was taken aback. Yes, she had promised, and that knowledge only added to the pain in her heart.

"But Shen, you took China! The promise only counted if you changed yourself, and killing people, destroying buildings, does not count!" Viper sighed, knowing that her mind was still coming up with excuses. But at least it was a good excuse this time.

Shen only looked up, and said nothing.

Viper sighed again. She looked at Shen, and she still could not bring herself to believe that Shen had taken China. He would look more...proud, she supposed.

Shen finally answered. "I-I if I have taken China, then why would I be here?"

Viper could not answer. The conversation faded away into uncomfortable nothingness.

* * *

Sparks flew upwards, fading away into the night sky.

The warriors, after several hours of walking, had finally settled down for the night, and sat round a fire. Normally, this would be the time for good-natured chatting, or just socialization, but the heavy mood of the group killed all that. Now, they sat in silence.

However, silence never lasts, and soon Monkey brought up a question no-one really wanted to answer, but was vital nonetheless.

"So," the primate began, "Does anyone know just how we intend to get into a palace, crawling with soldiers?"

For a moment, no-one answered. Then Tigress replied, shifting her weight, "We don't have to. We should be able to manipulate Shen's armies with the fact that we have Shen hostage."

Crane decided to interject something. "What if they don't believe us? I mean, we have no proof that Shen was ever with us," - he looked at all the faces of the other warriors, trained on him - "and while I'm not saying that we should have brought Shen along, it would be nice if we had some proof, or at least a plan B..."

"I suppose..." Mantis thought, "Man, you always come up with problems."

"Those 'problems' might very well save our lives, Master Mantis!"

All heads turned to the speaker. It was Mei Ling, who had spoken for the first time this evening. She smiled, slightly nervous. "Never-mind, go on..."

"Ok," the insect continued, slightly irritated by Mei ling's defense of Crane, "But what do you suggest?"

"Crane is right," Monkey spoke up again, "They have no reason to believe us, and even if they did, they could demand his release, threatening the death of their own hostage instead."

Tigress sighed. "I guess that means we do this the old-fashioned way..."

"With FISTS!" Po exclaimed, throwing a fake punch into the air, then quickly sitting back down, "Or, you know, not..."

"Mei ling knows the layout of the city best," Tigress continued, "I believe she should be the one to make the plan."

"W-What, me?" the feline responded, "Planning was never one of my strong points... But alright. The layout of the city, and more importantly, the palace, is basically the same. The palace is built as a mini-city, with each street being a hall, and every house being a room. This was to symbolize an involved government."

"Man, that must have been expensive," Mantis commentated.

"It was," Mei ling replied, not looking up.

"It cost over ten MILLION yuan, and took over one hundred, and twenty-two years to finish completely," Crane added.

"Wow..." Mantis breathed, "What I would do with that kind of money..."

"Waste it all on the first pretty face that came along?" Monkey quipped, grinning to himself.

"Hah hah, make fun of my love life. I'm sure that you would do the exact same thing!"

"No, as I said before, romantic entanglements unbalance one's chi," the primate explained, "That's why I avoid them."

"Suuurrre, why do I not believe you?" Mantis replied hotly.

"Cool it guys!" Tigress stated, "We have a job to do. Please continue, Mei ling..."

"Well, since we have to both rescue the emperor, and destroy the flying... things, I suggest we split into two teams, some of us going to destroy the contraptions, and the rest going to rescue the emperor."

"But separated, wouldn't that put us each in greater danger?" Crane interjected.

"Perhaps," Mei ling explained, "But it would also make us less visible, giving us a greater chance of slipping by, unnoticed."

"Aaahhh..." Crane breathed, "And I thought you said planning wasn't your strong point."

Mei ling smiled. "Apparently, I lied. Another one of my weaknesses."

Tigress stayed on subject. "Who would do what? I think that me and Po should be the ones to rescue the emperor..."

"Good," Mei ling responded, "That leaves me, Monkey, Crane, and Mantis, to destroy the flying monstrosities."

"Yeah, that should be difficult," Po pointed out, "Knowing Shen, he would probably put top priority on his creations, so, I don't know...they might be heavily guarded. Just sayin..."

"Po is right!" Monkey exclaimed, "Shen values his weapons over his men."

Mei ling frowned, thinking. "That's why more of you will be going to destroy them than to rescue the emperor. But still, we can't really do anything about that until we see the guard layout, so..."

"Yes, but there are always precautions that can be taken," Tigress added, looking around, "we must be careful to take no unnecessary risks." here she glared hard at Po.

"What?" Po defended, shrugging his shoulders, "Me, take risks? Never! When have I ever... Never-mind."

The group of warriors continued to make plans, long into the night. Eventually, their minds set to somewhat rest on what they were to do, they each drifted off into uneasy sleep, fitful dreams plaguing troubled minds.

* * *

_Author's note: Sorry! I forgot about this chapter when I said 'no more slow chapters'. I hope it wasn't too slow... Next will be a lot faster, so no worries! And thanks for all your lovely reviews!_


	43. Engagement

Chapter Forty-Four

The past two weeks had been full of torturous and endless walking, interpolated by brief periods of rest. It had been hard on all of the six warriors, Po especially.

But now, they stood on a hill, where a mighty army had stood only four weeks ago, now desolate, empty of all life. Before them, the Royal city lay sprawled out, still beautiful...but discordant. On the one side, it was pristine, still unmarred by Shen's rampage. But on the other, smoke drifted lazily upwards, wrapping around a massive blob that was the half-inflated balloon of the _Iron Princess_. There were fires there, and shadows...

"Whoa..." Mantis breathed.

"Ok, we goin' into that?" Po asked, somewhat nervously.

"We have to," Tigress replied, "Just like last time."

"Stealth mode again? Got it," the panda answered, slinking closer to the ground, "I will be as silent as the wind..."

"Uh oh.." Monkey snickered, then added, "but where are the armies? What species were they, again?"

"Um, I'm not sure," Mei Ling replied, "but I think they were some kind of bat. Yeah, I'm quite sure they were bats."

"Bats?" Mantis quavered, "Not again! I hate those things!"

"Don't worry," Monkey reassured, patting the insect's head, "There's no way these can be the same bats. Those other bats were losers, I doubt they could have taken China."

"A bat is a bat!" Mantis chattered angrily, "And they don't exactly have to be bright. Remember Shen's wolves? They weren't the sharpest knives on the rack either."

"They had Shen to balance them out," the primate retorted, "He was the brains, remember? Without him, the armies shouldn't be any trouble."

Tigress interjected something that had been on her mind the entire journey. "He wasn't only the brains. He could fight too, remember? He beat Masters Ox and Croc..."

"What are you getting at?" Monkey asked.

"When I hit him. He went down, so...easily. The one thing that showed in his eyes... was nothing. As if, as if everything in his heart was gone. And the one thing that strokes me about Shen, was that he was determined. Never looking back. He went down too easily..." she sighed, and continued, "I believe he felt, betrayed, by Viper. And that bothers me."

"Well, he couldn't have fought the Masters without his blades," Crane pointed out, joining the conversation, "Perhaps he went down so fast because he didn't have them?"

"Yes, perhaps...but what bothers me is what he did to the last person who betrayed him," Tigress mused, "Wolf Boss. He killed Wolf Boss without a second thought..."

"And Wolf Boss was the closest person to him, at least then, other than the soothsayer," Po finished for her.

"Yes, he did. But with Viper...he seemed so much more, heartbroken..."

"Perhaps... Viper was closer to him than Wolf Boss?" Monkey questioned.

"Don't say that," Tigress growled.

"Again, perhaps he was distraught, and could not do anything without his blades?" Crane added again.

"Um, guys..." Po asked, looking around, "Are you sure that Shen didn't have his blades? Did you like, search him, or anything?"

Tigress's eyes widened. "No, no I didn't! I just assumed..."

she looked up to Po with worry. "Do you think he had them?"

_"Of course he had them, I gave them back to him, and he never puts them down, for crying out loud!"_ Po thought, but of course, that is not what he said.

"It it Shen, if he has any, he would have them with him..." he said instead.

"_That, and he probably could bust through the walls by himself, with what he knows now..."_ he thought again, _"Why did I teach him? It's not my fault, it's not like I knew he had an army or something...and the jail is designed for Kung Fu masters. I'm sure that he is perfectly secure..."_

"Viper could be in grave danger!" Tigress burst him out of his thoughts, "She could..." despite that fact that Viper was currently Tigress's number two enemy right now, the thought of her being hurt, especially by Tigress's number one enemy, was still enough to fill her with worry.

"Viper is an accomplished Master," Crane tried to reassure the feline, "She can take care of herself, and she has Master Shifu..."

Tigress didn't seem any more comforted. She wondered what was going on inside Viper's head. Kung Fu was impossible without peace of mind, and Viper... She had looked completely lost as they left. Tigress doubted that she would be able to defend herself.

"Shen is...unpredictable..." she began, but was cut off by Po.

"Shen isn't that unpredictable, you can normally tell what he's..." - he noticed all the other Masters staring at him - "...thinking?"

"Alright guys," Mei ling interrupted, "Are we going in the city or not?"

"Right, right!" Po exclaimed.

"Remember, Po," Tigress half-smiled, "Stealth mode."

"Of course!" Po exclaimed, then covered his mouth. He began again, quieter this time, "Got it. I will be one with the wind and the trees."

"Just as long as you don't become one with the ground, we should be fine," Mei ling smiled. This panda, despite being the Dragon Warrior, was funny... She liked Masters that could be talked to, that showed TRUE mastery.

"Let's go."

The group ran down the hill, reaching the city walls quickly. There was no going back now, only forwards. As they pressed their backs against the wall, Crane soared above, thousands of feet in the air already. Even from this height, he could see the ground in perfect detail.

The district of the city that the Five and Mei ling chose to enter at was completely deserted. The people stayed indoors, showing that they were afraid of their new leadership. But it was clear of any bats, that was the important thing.

Crane dived back down, flapping his wings to slow himself as he landed.

"All clear!" he called at once, not stopping to catch his breath, "No bats there. It's clear."

The group vaulted over the wall, each in their own way. Tigress and Mei ling leaped over, Monkey climbed the wall in seconds, while Mantis hitched a ride on Crane, as he flew over the wall.

Landing on the opposite side, the group immediately dashed into the shadows behind a building, covering themselves. Although bats 'saw' with sound, their eyes could still be fooled.

"To the palace, Po, Tigress," Mei ling whispered, "Everyone else, come with me. We have some stuff to burn!"

"Yeah!" Mantis whispered energetically.

The group split up, as Tigress and Po rushed through the shadows, heading towards the palace.

The palace was easy to head towards, as it was very large. An unfortunate bat happened to get in the way, Po sat on it. Tigress continued, peeking around a corner. Two bats were there, chatting to each other. They didn't seem to be paying attention, and she was about to signal Po to cross, but then she heard a snippet of the conversation.

"I was talking to Ghan, and he said, that Shen was confident the Valley would fall..."

Valley? What valley? He couldn't possibly mean...

Tigress's tail twitched, a sign that she was thinking. Unfortunately, she failed to notice where it was swinging...

The tail knocked over an empty metal can, which clattered to the ground. The sound as it fell, (Tigress thought) must have been heard throughout the city.

The two bats whirled, bladed wings ready. They leaped around the corner, and were confronted by Tigress, who swung her foot at the first bat, who dodged to the ground. She followed up with another kick, using the momentum of the first one to turn her body around, swinging her leg into the unfortunate bat.

The other bat span into her side, kicking her with surprising force, before attempting to slice her with his blade...

Fortunately, Po intervened, punching the bat with a two-handed slam. The bat fluttered to th ground, taking a stance. For all the little mammal's determination, however, it could not win this fight alone...

The other bat, unnoticed for the time being, flew into the air...

Tigress spotted the movement, and without thinking, swung Po after it. If the bat got away, they would lose the element of surprise, and this whole thing would get so much harder.

Po, flying through the air, was unsure as to what he was supposed to do. However, he saw the bat come closer, and backslapped it. The bat was slammed into the ground.

Back with Tigress, the other bat flung his blade at her, which she ducked, before grabbing the bat by his wing, and twisting him into the ground. The two exchanged blows, and the bat, while putting up a surprising amount of resistance, was steadily losing ground.

_Punch, kick, fake, duck, punch..._

Finally, Tigress landed a hard blow to the bat's chest, sending him flying backwards several feet. She ran along the ground on all fours, leaping like, well, a tiger. The bat, however, rushed into the air, becoming a small small speck in the sky.

"NO!" Tigress yelled.

Po ran to her, holding an unconscious bat by his feet. "What's wrong? What happened?"

She looked at him, her eyes full of concern. "He got away, Po! Our cover's blown!"

* * *

Shen sat on his favorite balcony, overlooking the city. He had commanded that his fleet was readied in front of this balcony, so that he could watch. The _Iron Princess_ was being prepared for what could possibly be it's last flight. After this, he couldn't really think what he was going to do with it, unless there was some provincial uprising...

Might as well bring it down with a bang...

Flapping caused his head to turn. Bianfu landed, puffing slightly. "The, the _Iron Princess_ is being readied for launch, estimated time remaining, ten hours."

Shen nodded. "Very good, very good..."

Bianfu did not leave, however. He watched the work for a few seconds, before turning to the peacock.

"Shen?" he asked, putting his wings behind his back, "Can I ask you a question?"

Shen considered a short while, then nodded. "Of course."

"I mean, if you don't want me too.."

"No, it's alright. Continue?" Shen replied.

"If it bothers you or anything, then I won't ask it..."

Shen sighed. "Bianfu, I will not say this again. I have no problem with you making an inquiry. Now tell me the question!"

Bianfu fiddled with his wings, before responding. "Alright... I just wanted to ask, why are we doing this?" he examined Shen's face, looking for any signs of anger, before continuing, "Don't you already have everything you could want?"

Shen froze, considering his answer. Indeed, the very same question pulsed through his mind...

"Yes, I have everything I could want," he answered finally, "but this, this is just for fun."

Bianfu was slightly shocked. This just seemed a little...cruel... "That just seems, wrong, I don't know.. What did those people ever do to you?"

"Those people," Shen responded bitterly, "have done nothing. The people who protect them have. There is no greater shame to a warrior, than to know that you have failed to protect those who you love..."

Bianfu was openly shocked.

"Yes, I know," Shen continued, "I know because I have felt it. These people and I go back, back... The Valley of peace will never know what hit it."

Suddenly, with eerie timing, a bat flew in, looking tired, bruised, and out of breath.

"Master Tigress! And... Dragon Warrior! In the city..." the bat gasped out.

Shen snapped his head sideways, giving the bat his full attention.

"The Dragon Warrior? Here?"

Bianfu noticed the widened eyes. _"If I didn't know better,"_ he thought, _"I would say that Lord Shen is scared..."_

"The panda? Are you sure there was a panda?" Shen continued his interrogation.

"Y-yes, I'm sure...he was beating us to a pulp.." the bat replied.

"But you are SURE it was a panda? It wasn't just some black-and-white bag?" Shen added. He heard himself talk, and groaned. That sounded ridiculous...

The bat thought a while, then replied, "Let me describe him for you. It was a stinking, fat ball of lard, who bounces us off his belly, while saying gibberish such as 'skadoosh' and 'shapowie', and also uses the word 'awesome' a lot in combat. Does that sound familiar?"

"Yes, that sounds familiar..." Shen shook his head, muttering to himself, "That's a very accurate description, if you ask me..."

"Lord Shen, what do you wish us to do?" Bianfu asked.

Shen paced quickly, placing his wings behind his back. Why now? Why did the panda have to come now? This was a disaster... But one thing was for sure. He would not underestimate the panda this time...

"Suspend the fleet preparation," Shen stated, turning to Bianfu, "Make no move until the panda is found!"

"But Lord Shen-"

"I want EVERY bat out looking for that panda! Find him, find him!" Shen almost seemed in a craze, craving Bianfu further backwards.

"Well? Don't just stand there! I want that panda found! Now! Now, now, now, now NOW!"

"Yes sir!" Bianfu squeaked, turning to the balcony. He flew off, his bat-call echoing through the air. That was scary...

For a second, Shen had seemed just like Aang, and he seemed completely maniacal... He began to wonder... Had he made the right choice?

The cloud of bats soared from the area, as over four thousand bats flew towards the last known area of Master Tigress, and Dragon Warrior Po. They swooped over the streets, pinging them with their natural radar. For searching out wanted persons, nothing came close to a bat, their radar and mobility making them the ultimate seekers.

* * *

Tigress and Po, skulking through back hallways and alleys, were unaware of this. They continued on their journey towards the palace, on double alert since the bat had escaped.

"Alright, Po," Tigress said, peeking around a corner, "It's all clear..." in one swift movement, she leaped across the opening in the street, ducking around the next corner. A second later,

her face reappeared, beckoning Po across. Po followed her, rolling across on his belly. Tigress groaned. It was a good thing that there was no-one in sight, or else half the city would have been given an introduction to the Dragon Warrior. Po reached her, getting to his feet. There was no-one in sight so far...

"The palace is only a short distance away, Po," Tigress whispered, "But we still have to get across whatever guards they have in place..."

"Alright, got it!" Po whispered excitedly, I'll bring tha THUDAH-

BBRROOOWWW!

It almost seemed like the thunder had indeed come, as a blue explosion shook the ground directly behind them!

"Get down!" Tigress called, pushing Po over. Above them, they could see thousands of bats milling around, some with what must be the new weapons. Tigress had certainly never seen anything like the things the bats were carrying before...

Po attempted to get into his inner peace stance, but another rocket interrupted him, forcing him to dive sideways, shoving Tigress with him. The ground they had been standing on seconds before lit into a fiery apocalypse.

"I can't deflect them, Tigress!" Po called, "They just come too fast! And they are on FIRE! Literally!"

Tigress almost facepalmed. Po... always trying the thing that was opposite of what was needed. "RUN!" she shouted, before following her own advice, racing back down the alleys. The swarm of bats spotted her figure, and closed in, diverging in on her. A few plain old arrows whizzed past her and the panda who ran alongside her, but they ignored those. What they needed to watch out for was-

Another blue streak whizzed past them, and they dived backwards as the ground before them exploded into blue fire. As soon as the fire faded away, they were back on the run, flying through the smoke of the blast. They could not afford to slow down, the vicious mob behind them certainly wouldn't. They raced forwards, throwing all traces of stealth to the wind, the went on a straight course, not daring to make any turns, for fear that the bats would fly over and cut them off.

"Every bat in the city must be after us!" Po shouted.

"We- we should have brought Mei ling!" Tigress shouted back, running on all fours, "Her knowledge of the city would be useful!"

They continued their run, and, as much as she hated to admit it, she was showing more signs of fatigue than the panda. Her kind was not made for long runs, but short sprints, tiring after a few minutes. Her breathing was becoming labored, and that annoying stitch in her side was beginning to develop. This was not looking good... They needed a place to hide, and fast...

"Po!" she called, her exhaustion becoming apparent in her voice, "Po, we can't...can't keep this up!"

Po looked back, and, despite their efforts, the bat horde was growing closer. "So I noticed! What do you have in mind?"

Tigress didn't answer, probably because there was no other answer. They would have to just keep running, until the end...

The end came sooner than expected. Another blue bolt flew to Tigress's left, and the explosion barely missed her. However, the debris did not. A piece of cobbled stone flew out, striking her in the ankle. Searing pain raced through her system, and although she tried to shake it off, it increased with every step.

Eventually, although her mind willed herself forward, her body could not take anymore. She collapsed to the ground with a cry, her form rolling end over end in the dust.

Po, who had been running behind her, saw her fall. He ran up to her, looking back nervously, but stopping.

"Tigress!" he said hurriedly, "are you all right!?"

"Run Po!" she responded, ignoring his question, "Save yourself!"

Po shook his head. "Not without you!"

"Po!"

"Not without you," he said again. He started making motions with his arms, and Tigress thought he was going to try and fight the whole lot off. How stupid. Sweet, but stupid.

That was indeed Po's idea, but, as he faced the oncoming horde, he abruptly changed his mind. Deciding on a different course of action, he leaned down, and scooped up Tigress in his arms.

"Oh, no Po..." she protested weakly. This was embarrassing! Tigress hated having to be helped like this by anyone...and it was useless. There was no way Po could outrun all those bats, while carrying her! She felt a sick feeling run through her stomach. She had been the downfall. She had been the weaker link. If Po was hurt...or died, it would all be her fault, and she would never forgive herself.

The bats had gained much ground while the two Masters were stationary, and they continued to do so now, as they chased their slowed prey.

Po ran as he had never ran before, a mixture of fear and determination running through his veins. But it was not enough. The bats were still catching up. Po exhaled roughly, his breath in rags. He would NOT let them get Tigress, not on his watch! And he didn't want them getting him, either, but that was much less important.

However, their capture seemed inevitable, as the bats drew closer. There seemed no escape, and Po would have to act quickly. Suddenly, as if by some heavenly gift, he saw an opening in the corner of his eye.

He dived sideways suddenly, behind a wall. For just a fleeting second, the two warriors were hidden from the bat's view. Po took advantage of that infinitesimal moment, pulling Tigress into a pile of rubble, a paw unconsciously clamped over her mouth.

They both watched the bats fly by, spreading out as they realized that their prey had evaded them.

* * *

Shen continued to pace nervously. He had all his bats searching for the panda, but that was no guarantee that they would find him... He hated that panda, hated hated HATED him!

He hated him for what he was, for what he did, for what he had... And most of all, because he was able to make Shen afraid. His fear translated into seething hate, as soon as the panda was no longer there (and not only then). A vision flashed through his head, of standing on a ship, Wolf Boss beside him, as the panda continued to fight his way towards him, not taking his eyes off the peacock. The look in his eyes... Shen had felt a wave of cold, chilling fear rush through him...

Shen shuddered, throwing off the memory. He felt undefended, despite the dozens of throwing knives nestled in his sleeves and under his belt, or the Guan Dao hidden in his tail feathers. They had all failed him before, why not now? Even his cannons had failed him... He wondered if his new rocket-launchers could be of any use against the panda... He would feel more secure if he had one, though...

but they were all at the preparation area, being loaded on the _Iron Princess_. He decided he would go and get one, just to be safe.

He leaped off the balcony, soaring over the roads and houses below. He glided down towards the Iron Princess, hoping to find a launcher...

* * *

Crane saw the enormous milling of bats in the air.

"Wonder what's going on over there?" he mused.

"Our ticket, that's what!" Mei ling exclaimed, "Come on! The preparing area has been left completely deserted, this is our chance!"

"Let's go!" Monkey called, leaping over a short fence, "Hurry up!"

Mei ling leaped after him, Crane and Mantis following suit shortly after. They raced towards the prep zone, avoiding the mass of bats whirling in the air.

The streets were eerily silent, as if they were running through a ghost city. There was NO-ONE in sight, whatsoever!

They reached the edges of the prep zone, and saw their first signs of life. There were fires lit everywhere, and smoke clung to the ground, creating a dirty smog. And that is also when they got their first sight of the massive airship that was their target.

Involuntarily, each jaw dropped. Even though it was only half-inflated, it still looked terrifying. Ropes creaked, as the four Masters moved their eyes over their target, the ancient Chinese equivalent of a deathstar.

"What is that?" Crane asked incredulously, "That thing's HUGE!"

"Meet the destroyer of the city!" Mei ling said grimly, "This thing destroyed everything in it's path. Now let's burn it!"

Up till that point, the Masters had the idea that they would grab a torch, and chuck it on the airship. But they now saw that this would be a much harder job...

They were just about to act, when a shadow fell across them. Instantly, they split up, diving under the nearest cover available, which happened to be the Iron Princess's gigantic hold.

Something swooped down, landing lightly on the ground. Crane, who happened to be nearest, could see what it was... But that didn't help. He didn't believe it! It just wasn't possible!

Before him, strutting around like he owned the place (which he did) and heading towards a pile of crates in a corner, was Emperor Shen.

Crane half-turned, gesturing to Mei ling. She caught his signal, and rushed stealthily over. When she saw what he saw, however, she didn't believe it any more that he did.

"How?" she mouthed.

Crane only shrugged.

Shen opened a crate, searching through it for something. When he didn't find what he was searching for, he walked towards the Iron Princess, AND their hiding place.

"Back up!" Mei ling gestured frantically, doing that herself. But, as often happens in that kind of circumstance, they ended up only getting in each other's way, and so were still there when Shen came round the corner.

Shen looked up...and met their eyes. He froze, apparently not believing that they were there any more that they believed he was here. His train suddenly flared up, showing his sudden nervousness. The sudden movement caused Crane to half-scream, and the sound caused Shen to half-scream in response, and whirl away.

"What are..." Shen stopped. What was the point of asking that? They obviously wouldn't answer.

"What- what..." Crane began weakly.

Shen flicked his eyes over to Mei ling, then back to Crane, then further back, to where Monkey and Mantis, skulking in the background. He didn't stand a chance in a fight, although he could no doubt put up a struggle...but then his eyes rested on a long, poleish object, lying unnoticed by another crate. A launcher! If only he could get to that...

"What did you do to Viper!?" Crane called, getting into his stance.

Shen blinked. Viper? Oh, that snake-lady who was always with them... Why did they think he had done something to her? But... An opportunity opened. Drawing his blades, he got into his own stance.

"You won't ever see her again," Shen hissed, "Now stand down, or else you will join her."

Mei ling didn't wait to reply, instead leaping towards the peacock, her staff gripped in both hands. She tried a jump attack,

but Shen ensnared her staff with a rope dart, pulling her to the ground. Although she landed gracefully, she had lost time and momentum, forced to leap backwards by the volley of knives that Shen flung at her.

She picked up her staff, deflecting another knife, as she re-rushed at the white peacock. She swiped at his feet, with blinding speed, but Shen leaped over the staff, spinning in midair, releasing several more blades at the feline.

Mei ling was forced to pause her attack again, but fortunately, Crane and Monkey resumed the fight for her. Crane kicked upwards, sending Shen reeling backwards, while Monkey attempted to brain him with his staff. His attack was blocked, as Shen was forced to utilize his Guan Dao, parrying the attack. The monkey, crane, and peacock exchanged blows,

Shen overwhelming the unarmed Masters with the skillful use of his Guan Dao. A green blur rushed into the fray, striking the peacock along his legs. Shen was knocked off his feet, somewhat surprised that the insect could hit so hard. He was not given much time to think, however, as he flung sideways, throwing more knives at Mei ling and Monkey, as they attacked him in unison.

Taking the small gap offered him, he broke away from the fight, scrambling over a wobbly pile of crates to get towards the launcher. He was very fast, almost a white blur...

But not fast enough, as another white blur struck him from the side, and the peacock flipped over, landing on a barrel. Master Crane swooped down, using the fact that his wings and legs were longer than the peacock's, so could hit from greater distance. He found that, however, Shen was excellent at dodging, his aerobatic style moving very swiftly, bewildering to the eye.

Monkey rushed up, and instead of trying to hit the peacock, kicked away the crate that he perched on. Shen fell, landing on his back, as several more crates were hurled towards him. He leaped upwards, throwing a volley of knives at them while in mid-air, and continued his dash towards the launcher.

Each of the warriors avoided the blade in the way which best suited them, Crane deflected, Monkey blocked with his staff, Mantis ducked, and Mei ling actually caught the blade, and let it fall to the ground with a clank. It was she who leaped up after Shen, sliding down a hill of barrels, and tackling the peacock. She saw a flash of red and white, and realized he had avoided at the very last minute.

"Don't you ever give up?" Shen's European accented voice spat.

"No," came the simple reply, as Mei ling brought her staff into an attack position. She swung it high at the peacock, but was not surprised when he blocked it expertly. The two fought, seemingly equals, but Mei long knew that he was weaker. If she could just get rid of his Guan Dao...

Suddenly, Shen flew upwards, spinning in the air, and nailed her in the face with a powerful kick.

She was thrown backwards, but landed on her feet, surprised by the blow. That was a triple-lotus kick, how did he know that? She unfurled her claws, and leaped at the avian, in an animal-like fury. A train swept in her face, but she grabbed it, and swung it and it's owner into the hill of barrels. They collapsed on top of Shen, who scrambled sideways, doing his best to avoid them.

"Need a hand?" she called mockingly.

Shen did not reply, instead vaulting into the air, and landing behind the feline.

"You will pay for your arrogance, foolish cat!" he hissed, drawing three knives in each wing.

Mei ling was not fazed, but the was not overconfident either. She ducked, as Shen threw himself at her, moving faster than anyone she had ever seen. He was a whirlwind of twists and turns, blades on every edge.

But the star student of the Lee Da Kung Fu academy was not to be overcome so easily. Using her staff, she was able to block or parry most of the peacock's moves, and was holding her own against the enraged bird.

Crane and Monkey, finally disentangling themselves from the pile of barrels they had been trapped in, managed to get up just in time to witness the fight. Both combatants were moving too fast for the eye, Shen relying on blinding sweeps, the feline putting her hope in unnoticed strikes.

"Are we going to help, or..."" Mantis asked.

"What, are you kidding?" Monkey replied, "We would get ourselves killed! Mei ling can hold herself, can't she, Crane?"

The primate looked at the tall avian's face, which was creased with worry. "Yes, she certainly can, but Shen is going fast..."

Suddenly, Mei ling made a wide swing with her staff, uncharacteristic of her normally more subtle fighting style. The others saw this as a sign of aggression, but Crane, who knew Mei ling, saw otherwise. Cats were never made for long, drawn-out fights, preferring to end their battles quickly. Birds, on the other hand, had very impressive amounts of stamina, for their long walks or migrations. Crane had known this for a long time, as whenever he sparred with her at the academy, his only chance had been to wear her out.

Once she got tired, she would also start to get reckless...

Crane knew she had been training her stamina since forever, and it had showed. But at this speed, he could not help but wonder how long she could keep this up. Perhaps, since Shen was a white peacock, he would have lower stamina than most of his kind...

Suddenly, Crane was jerked out of his thoughts by a yell, as Mei ling put all her remaining strength into a lightning blow at Shen's head. Shen leaned sideways, missing the staff by millimeters, and he felt it strike the top of his headcrest. The staff continued it's movement, carried by momentum... Leaving the feline open for attack.

Crane felt the world seem to slow down, as three razor-sharp blades left the peacock's wings, heading towards Mei ling's throat. She had no time to block, parry, or even move...

To Crane, it felt like his body moved on it's own, as he rushed forwards, and hurled his hat at the oncoming blades. His hat swept between Mei ling and the blades, catching all three of them, before dropping to the ground.

Monkey looked to Crane in astonishment. Crane looked no less surprised himself.

Shen blinked. During his tiny moment of distraction, Mei ling struck him with her staff, sending him flying sideways. She rushed after him, as he used the momentum to roll back on his feet. Mantis leaped forward, knocking the peacock to the ground again, while Monkey leaped into a jump attack, raising his staff.

Shen, lying on his back, released another volley of knives (his last) which slowed the rushing Masters, giving him enough time to leap to his feet, and into the air.

Crane waited till Shen reached the height of his jump, before soaring into the air.

"Wings of JUSTICE!" he called, flapping his wings amazingly hard, "Caw CAW!"

A gust of wind impacted the peacock, sending him backwards, ruining the timing of his attack, and sending him tumbling to the ground.

Monkey and Mei ling attacked in unison, driving Shen further and further back. Shen fought furiously, but he could not match the teamwork that the Masters were exhibiting, even more so when Crane and Mantis joined in.

Even Tai Lung had been susceptible to the teamwork of these Masters, and Shen, although an accomplished Master, who had been studying the sacred scrolls for the past year, was not near as physically strong as Tai Lung. What he lacked in brawn, however, he made up for in brains...

The four Masters drove Shen against a wall of crates. Shen was pressed against the wall, his train flared up behind him.

The Masters stopped their attack.

"Shen, give up," Mei ling instructed, "You can't fight all of us at once!"

"So it seems..." Shen wheezed, rubbing his side, "So it seems."

Unbeknownst to the Masters, Shen's other wing was reaching behind him, using his train to shield his movements. A cold, metal surface rubbed against his 'fingers', and he smiled cunningly.

"But, you know," Shen continued, still smiling, "Things are not always what they seem..."

"What are you talking about?" Mantis questioned, "You can't match us, not together anyway."

"No, I see that..." Shen grinned, "But this can!"

In one smooth motion, before the Masters even realized what he was doing, he pulled the launcher from behind him, and pointed at the ground beneath their feet.

"Run!" Mei ling called, but it was too late.

Shen leaped over their heads, firing in midair. The rocket slammed into the ground they stood on, a deafening roar filling their ears...

The last thing they saw was blue light.

* * *

Po sighed, catching his breath. He furtively stood up, and peeked around the corner. There were still bats everywhere...

He slid back down, next to the striped feline. "Still way too many bats, Tigress," he whispered heavily, "What are we going to do?"

"Wait," came the reply, as Tigress rotated her ears, listening.

"How's your ankle? Can you stand?" Po asked, concernedly.

"I think so..." she said uncertainly, "I could try..."

"Don't, it might make too much noise," Po reminded.

"When did you become the stealth expert?"

Po considered the question. "When I needed to be, I guess..."

"Well said, Dragon Warrior," Tigress replied, "That is wise."

She paused, thinking of something. Po had just saved her life, true, but this unit was expected to do that. Any of the Five would have done the same... But that did not make it any less special. And his heroism would go to waste, if this kept up...

"Thanks, Po," Tigress whispered.

"What?" Po asked, "What'd I do?"

"For saving my life. I want to thank you now..."

Po frowned. "Don't thank me yet," he said, looking round the corner, "We still just might not make it..."

Tigress shook her head. "No, that's why I'm thanking you. If we, or if I, don't make it out of here, I want you to know that what you did meant something to me, and that when I said that you were a

Master, I really meant it."

Po smiled. "Thanks, Master Tigress. You are an amazing fighter, the role model of my life, and as well," - he blinked several times, looking into her eyes - "you are a true friend. That means alot to me, as well."

Tigress could nearly cry. It sounded like they were saying their last words, like they were really going to die... The thought sent shivers through her body, as images, memories, involuntarily rushed through her mind. From her beginning (oddly enough, she didn't count her birth as her beginning, but her adoption), to her Mastery of Tiger style, to becoming the leader of the newly-formed Furious Five, to meeting Po, all the way to now. It had been a good life, all things considered.

It is odd, that when in times like these, all of Master Shifu's faults seemed nonexistent, replaced by all his strengths. The only thing she wished, was that he was here, so that she could tell him that she loved him... She had been far too neglecting towards her foster father, just as he had been to her...

Po, on the other hand, was seized by thoughts of home. His life had only really began a few short years ago, but now, his thoughts turned to home, and noodles... He couldn't die, Mr. Ping needed a noodle tester. He had sorta taken his adoptive father's love for granted, and now, he wanted it back. But there was still hope, there was always hope, as long as there was breath...

He took a deep breath- and a piece of rubble flew into his nose. He brushed it, trying to make it come out, but no go, and it just tickled...

Oh, how that thing tickled! An urge to sneeze rushed through his body, and he pinched his nose to prevent it, but that caused the piece of rubble to move, only increasing the urge.

He struggled against it for a few long minutes, holding his breath. The urge faded away. Po released, breathing out in a sigh of relief...

"AAAHHHHHCCCCCOOOOO!" the world's biggest sneeze burst through the air, echoing around the city.

Tigress and Po winced in unison. The feline glared at Po with a look that could melt steel.

The loud noise was the equivalent of someone shooting a distress flare to the bat's sound sensitive ears, so it was no surprise when they heard a squeaky, and unwelcome, voice.

"Hey! Come out of there!" the bat, gripping a katana, poked around the corner- and dived backwards, squealing it's head off.

"I FOUND THEM! OVER HERE!"

Tigress and Po leaped over to the bat, silencing it with a fist. But it was too late. Every other bat turned, and began to attack them.

The first wave mostly consisted of over-eager bat rookies, and Po and Tigress engaged, the panda using the feet of fury, kicking several bats to the ground, as Tigress punched the bats that fell. Po landed, spinning into another round of bats, while Tigress vaulted over his shoulders, sending her feet into a bat's furry face.

"Fist of fury!" Po shouted, punching another's stomach, while simultaneously kicking backwards.

But the bats kept coming. Tigress grabbed Po's feet, and used him like a club, while Po hit the ground hands first, using his momentum to pull the feline over. The duo split, going back to back, taking any bat that came too close.

But the bats kept coming. A few arrows whizzed by, and Tigress caught one, smashing it into the ground. Po used the thundering wind hammer, and hundreds of bats went sailing away. Tigress span-kicked another bat into his comrade, and both bats fell.

But now, the bats began attacking in earnest, glinting blades held ready. Po ducked under a blade, kicking it out of the bat's hands, while Tigress fended off any arrows coming their way. Another katana swished downwards, and Po just wasn't fast enough to avoid it. It nicked his shoulder, and a few drops of blood spilled out. Po looked up at the bat grimly, the last thing the small mammal saw was knuckles.

"Don't move, if ya' value your life!" a bat voice called out, "Stand still!"

The two warriors turned, and saw a bat, larger than most, standing firm, eyes intent on them. But what really caught there eye was what the bat was holding. The infamous rocket-launcher, responsible for the subjugation of China in less that eight hours, grinned at them.

Po stood calm, slowly moving into his inner peace stance.

"Bring it," he said, staring the bat down.

The bat laughed. "If ya' say so, panda!"

He aimed, and pulled the trigger. A flash of sparks flew in all directions, as the rocket flew with lightning speed towards the panda. The speed was of no concern to Po, however. To him, the world was moving in slow-motion. He did notice though, that the rocket ignited into flames as it drew nearer...

He grabbed the rocket, and felt himself being pushed back by the force of the rocket. He tried to redirect it, but it kept spinning back around! There was no-where to throw it, they WERE in a cramped alley, after all... Po looked up, and saw a roof... He looked to the left, and saw a wall...

All the while, the rocket span in his hands, burning them with friction. But friction was not all that burnt...

Po spotted an opening, and span, moving the rocket around him, and sending it flying away, disappearing in the sky. It exploded mid-air, looking like a peaceful firework.

The bats stared in astonishment, as Po busily doused his hands from the fire. They were covered in burns...

The bat that held the launcher, however, was unimpressed. He grabbed a new rocket from another bat, and clicked it into place.

"Impressive," he said, "But Shen told me that you could do that. He also told me how to deal with it."

Po began to rush towards the bat, about fifty feet away. The bat retreated, flying low down a street, dragging the launcher along with him.

He landed in the street, and aimed the launcher. On the other end of the street, Po barreled into view- and right into the launcher's crosshairs. It looked like a showdown scene, from an old western movie, as Po once more moved into his Tai Chi stance. He knew what he was going to do, and this time, he knew exactly where to throw the rocket...

The bat aimed, and fired. The rocket sped from it's launcher, and Po prepared to receive it... But right away, he knew something was different. The rocket looked like it was going to fall short. Then, Po realized with horror that the bat had not aimed at HIM, but at the ground he stood on, hoping to see the panda killed in the blast! Po started forward, hoping to catch the rocket, but then he changed his mind, turning away...

The rocket exploded, sending debris flying everywhere, and blue fire engulfed the fleeing form.

"NOOO!" Tigress heard someone scream, and realized it was herself.

The smoke cleared, and revealed the prostrate form of a panda, lying unmoving on the road. The bat walked up to him, listening with his large ears. Tiny flashes of light pulsed from Po's chest, a sign that he was alive.

He (the bat) flicked out a katana, and pointed it at Po's throat. "He's alive," he called, slowly turning his head to Tigress, "But you want to keep him that way, I suggest you raise your hands and come quietly."

Tigress growled, but complied. She had once said, "I cannot watch a friend, be killed." she had not been lying. And she could see no way to rescue Po, not from this distance, so she had nothing more she could do than comply.

"Good. Stand still."

A bat walked up to her with a club, and struck her in the face.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed, "Stop that, if you like your wings!"

"Sorry," the bat said, looking somewhat surprised,

"You were supposed to get knocked out..."

Tigress sighed. "Here, let me do it..." she put her palm out to take the club.

The bat was about to give the club to her, but another bat yanked it away, slapping the first bat across the face.

"Ow!" the first bat complained, "What was that for?"

"You were about to give Master Tigress a CLUB! Doesn't that sound a little stupid to you?" the second bat replied, "Now, let ME knock her out!"

The second bat struck Tigress on the head, much harder than the first one. Tigress saw the edges of her vision fade, and then her entire world shriveled into a single speck of light. Then, that too, vanished. Tigress slumped unconscious to the ground.

* * *

_Author's note: I would have updated this sooner, but thanksgiving got in the way. Enjoy the chapter, and have a nice thanksgiving!_

_Oh, and to everyone who reviewed, you are AWESOME! Thanks to you, this is now the second most reviewed Shen story on the site. Thank you._


	44. Torture

**This chapter contains emotional torture, and character death. Reader discretion is advised.**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Five

The darkness was fading, dissipating into nothing. There are no words to describe the coming to after being knocked unconscious, especially when you never expected to see light again.

But this was what Masters Mantis, Crane, Monkey, and Mei ling, each experienced within a few hours of each other.

To Crane, it was like pulling oneself out of water, into the air once more. But the water still clung, dripping away. Memories were fuzzy, but they returned quickly.

They had failed, making the very same mistake that Shen had made a year ago. They had underestimated. But, really! He wasn't even supposed to be here! They, themselves had locked him away... Only for him to return, and mash them all into pulp.

Of course, they would have been the victors, but Shen had cheated! How were they to know there was a freaking random launcher behind him?

_"Not cheating, strategy..."_ his own words echoed in his mind, speaking to a defeated and exhausted Mei ling, back at the academy... But there would be no more days like that, not for him. The academy was gone, nothing but dust in the wind. He was defeated...

But he was not dead. Honestly, Crane had never expected to wake up. Where was he? His head turned from side to side, scanning the area. He found that he was in a gloomily-lit room, hanging suspended from a wall. Beside him, Mei ling, Monkey, and Mantis hung, similarly suspended. Heavy chains fastened them to the wall, which was solid stone. No breaking that...

"What happened?" he asked groggily, speaking to no-one in particular.

"Shen has captured us..." Mei ling answered him, giving him a start, "We were unconscious, didn't stand a chance..."

"Why are we still alive? Shen is a murderer, why would he spare us?" Crane mused.

"He didn't exactly 'spare us', Crane!" Mantis piped in, "We are his prisoners, after all..."

"That certainly is true..." an unwelcome, European voice called out, "And I am glad to see you have woken up. It would have been terribly boring to have you all die...at least then. Don't worry though, that time will come."

Mei ling snarled at the peacock. "That has not happened yet, Shen! Not everything goes your way, you know, 'someone' could still rescue us."

Shen laughed, "We will see then, won't we!"

"Po will rescue us!" Monkey exclaimed.

Shen's joviality vanished, replaced with an expression of rage. "Do NOT mention him in my presence!" he commanded, "And he will not..."

Shen's confident words, however, covered a fearful heart. That panda, he seemed to be able to miraculously appear when he was distinctly unwanted. Even now, Shen's mind was filled with troubling hallucinations...

_*Shen imagines*_

_"Hah! Your little panda friend cannot help you now!"_

_"Not so fast, peacock!" - Po, a beam of light coming from his eyes, burst through the walls, effortlessly breaking the chains holding the Masters - "And that's BIG panda friend! And now it's time to bring the thundah! SHAPPOOWIEE!"_

_A massive explosion tears through the room, as Po leaps int the air, a cannon over every shoulder, and fires them at Shen._

_"NOOOOOO!"_

_*Shen snaps out of his imagination*_

"That's what you think, Shen," Monkey added, "Po would never just leave us..."

At that minute, a loud rapping noise came from the door.

"What's that?" Shen asked, looking around nervously, "Ah, the door... Come in!"

A large group of bats entered the room, dragging something, no, two somethings behind them. They cleared, letting the Masters see what they were...

Each eye widened, as they caught sight of an unconscious Po and Tigress, lying crumpled on stretchers. The whole room was silent, as the bats heaved the two warriors upright, chaining them to the wall with the other Masters.

"You- you caught him?" Shen asked incredulously, "You caught him!?"

An ecstatic smile crossed his face, and he began to laugh.

"Haha, I don't believe it! You caught him, you caught him! Haha! Good job, good job..."

Shen's face grew darker, as he remembered his 'vision'. "Put more chains on the panda, I want no chance of his escape! Don't let him escape!" he then turned back to Monkey, his eyes glimmering cruelly.

"Do you still think that your 'panda friend' will save you?" no answer.

"Hah, that's what I thought," Shen chucked darkly to himself, rubbing his 'wrists', as he drew himself up, "There is no escape for you. We fly to, to the Valley of peace, to the Jade palace, to destroy it! And" - here he turned back to the Masters - "there's nothing you can do about it!"

Mei ling snarled, showing her fangs. "Shen, you are a monster!"

Shen focused his attention back on her, and his voice seemed to grow softer, as he said, "I know it."

But then, he grew harsh once more, as he continued, "But I seem to recall marking you for vengeance, after you touched my train..."

His eyes swept over the whole group, before resting back on Mei ling. "Hmmm," he mumbled, "how does it feel to be the weakest of this group?"

Mei ling snarled again. "Let me out of these chains, and we will see who is the weakest!"

"So we shall," Shen muttered to himself, before continuing, "But you must be! You ... Are... a female, and that makes you weaker than anyone else here."

"Hah!" Mei ling scoffed, "I'm stronger than any male here! Just ask Crane!"

Shen refused to back down, instead bringing his face closer to hers. "By 'weak' I do not mean, weak here" - he touched her arms, tracing circles in her fur - "I mean weak here" - he placed a knife softly to her heart - "and I will make you scream."

"I'd never give you the pleasure," Mei ling hissed back, "Never. And there is no amount of pain you can inflict on me that will make me."

"I agree," Shen whispered, withdrawing the knife, "No amount of pain ... on you. But perhaps, on someone else? There are few who can watch a friend die without screaming."

He paced along the line of Masters, keeping an eye locked on the feline, watching her expression. Tigress. Nothing. Monkey. Nothing. Mantis. Nothing. The Dragon Warrior... Mei ling's eye twitched slightly, but Shen continued walking. For what he had in mind, the Dragon Warrior, buried beneath a massive pile of chains, was unsuitable. He reached the end of the line, focusing on the other avian that was chained before him. Master Crane.

Mei ling trembled.

It was almost imperceptible, but it was enough. He drew a knife. Strangely enough, Crane looked braver about that action than Mei ling.

With a quick, smooth motion, Shen flung the knife at the other avian. The knife embedded itself- in the wall, next to Crane's head.

Mei ling let out a small yelp, but not enough to be classified a scream. Shen was disappointed, but not surprised. He had not expected her to scream, not yet anyway.

"Him!" Shen called, gesturing to his bats, "This one. I want him on that new French device we obtained."

Several bats unchained Crane.

Crane, as soon as he was unchained, promptly went into wings of justice. All the bats were blown into every direction, and everything that was not chained down moved.

"Not like that, you idiots!" Shen exclaimed, in exasperation, as Crane engaged several bats at once, trying to free the other Masters.

He was doing well, as the several bats dropping curled up on the floor showed. Shen tapped his metal-coated talons impatiently. It appeared that he would need to act...

He walked up to a large fishing net, which he had kept here as sort of a memoir, and tossed it over his shoulder. It landed perfectly over the avian Master, trapping him and several bats inside. Shen turned, and leaped, next to the downed crane.

"You did well, waterfowl," he said smoothly, "But, not well enough. Bring the device!"

The last remark was addressed to his bats, who ran out of the room, coming back in shortly with a very odd device.

Although the Masters did not realize this, they were looking at an early French guillotine, pioneered before it's time, much like Shen's cannons.

Shen inspected the device, running a wing along the blade. He smiled. This was the one...

Crane was placed in the device, and chained there, so that the nets could be removed.

Shen paced back towards Mei ling, and smiled.

"You- you can't do this!" she gasped. It didn't take a genius to figure out what that device did. "You can't!"

"Don't worry, kitty cat," Shen replied, causing Mei ling to growl, "I'M not going to do anything... You are."

He placed a rope in her hands, which was connected to the switch on the guillotine. A pull would cause the blade to fall.

Mei ling let the rope drop. "I would never do any such thing, you monster!"

Shen laughed slightly. "I had a feeling you would say that... Which is why I brought some... convincing tools, with me."

He gestured to a bat, and the bat flew out.

"You are such a maniac!" Mantis exclaimed, a scowl plastered on his face, "Pathetic Shen, pathetic."

Shen frowned, his eyebrows bunching together. "Who are you to be talking, insect? A perverted, TINY bug, if anyone is pathetic, it's you..." he swept his eyes to the other Masters, frowning deeper, "You realize, don't you, that it doesn't have to be this way..."

No one answered, but Monkey looked up.

"...I am emperor. I can show mercy... if you ask for it."

Monkey only scowled, and lowered his head once more. They knew by 'ask' he meant 'beg'. Shen, who was weaker than most of his species, loved to have those who were stronger bow to him. But they would never bow, or beg before him. Each and every one of them would rather die.

"So be it," Shen said darkly, as the bats returned, dragging someone behind them.

The Masters gasped, when they saw who that 'someone' was. Former emperor Xu Nai Xan, was dragged before the peacock, and forced to his knees.

"Maniac! Let him go!" Mei ling shouted, sounding for a second exactly like Tigress.

"Hush now, he's not about to be harmed," Shen reassured, cocking his head, "If you pull this rope. If you do not, you can be sure that this 'emperor' will die."

Shen smiled, knowing he had her. First duty of Kung Fu masters was to the emperor...

"Can you destroy what you have created?" he asked tauntingly, before turning to Crane, "Let's see what kind of friends you have, waterfowl."

"Don't do it!" Xu exclaimed, "I am done. He has potential, while my life is over. Do not pull the rope!"

The other Masters were silent.

This was just as horrible for them, as well. However, each of their thoughts were burning towards the peacock, each silently wishing for his painful death.

"Mei ling!" Crane called out, speaking for the first time, "Save the emperor! I'm not important, he is!"

"No, Crane, NO!" she whimpered, tears forming in her eyes. She looked over to Shen, who was watching all this with enjoyment, a wild glee in his eyes.

"Why are you doing all this?" she asked desperately, "What good does it do you?"

Shen snapped his ruby eyes on her, boring into the feline's skull. "Isn't it obvious? You, all of you, have hurt me. This is revenge! My glorious revenge!" he stepped in closer to Mei ling, laughing in her face, whispering, "Happiness, must be taken! And I am taking mine!"

And she understood. Shen, having no happiness, found some hollow, corrupted form of comfort in the torture of others.

The more she was seeped in misery, the greater he was reconciled for his own misery, finding solace in another soul tortured. It was his way of giving back to the world what it had given him.

And now that she understood him, she hated him more than ever. For such a cruel, demonic perspective on life was so much more sinister than a simple desire for revenge.

Shen placed the rope into her paws. "Fifteen seconds, cat."

Mei ling felt all eyes turn to her, as the bats began to count down.

"Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen..."

The emperor shook his head, begging her without speaking.

"Twelve, eleven, ten..."

Her eyes drifted over to Crane, who had a serene look on his face. How could he look so calm? This was all her fault! Crane wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for her.

"Nine, eight, seven, six..."

Mei ling was in torture, but there was only one choice.

"I'm sorry, Crane..." she mumbled.

"Five, four, three..."

Her paws tightened around the rope, as she took one last look into Crane's golden eyes. She would never see them again, after all...

"Two... One..."

With a heart-wrenching scream, Mei ling pulled the rope.

There was silence, as the blade fell. She couldn't bear to look up, to see what would meet her eyes. The sound of laughing fell on her ears, but it seemed meaningless.

"It would seem, mountain cat, that you broke your word," Shen smirked evilly, "You did indeed scream."

Mountain cat. What used to be her title. Before Shen took it. Wasn't it odd, that years spent building a life, and one peacock could blot it all out in the span of a month. He had taken all, everything. And with this last blow, he also took her spirit.

The sound of Shen, continuing his laughter, made her look up again. Meeting his eyes. His, burned with mad light. Hers, empty, devoid of life. He was the vampire, sucking the life from his victims, and she was the prey. And all he could do was laugh, finding the intense sorrow of another living being funny.

"You..." Mei ling whispered, tears falling freely, "You... Are.. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS!?"

She snarled, struggling against the chains that held her hostage. Shen only laughed harder at her impotent outburst, even wiping a tear from his eye.

"HOW could you find this FUNNY?" she roared, again attempting to maul him, and failing.

"Why... why don't you let him tell you?" Shen replied, gesturing to Crane,

"I'm sure he would tell you."

Mei ling did not respond, dropping her head lower. She was defeated, and her spirit broken.

Crane, for one, infinite, moment, had really believed he was going to die, as he heard the whoosh of the blade falling towards his neck. He had closed his eyes, accepting his fate... And felt the blade impact his neck. His eyes had jerked open, and he had fought the urge to shout. Then, he realized that he was most certainly not dead. He could hear Shen laughing, the sound echoing around in his head, as he lay there, confused. What had just happened? The blade that lay rested along the back of his neck seemed awfully light...

"M-Mei ling?" he questioned doubtfully, turning his head, "Wh-what just happened?"

Mei ling heard the voice, and raised her head quickly.

It was too early for guilt hallucinations, but that meant...

She looked at Crane, where he lay, a blade across his neck... But the neck was still very much connected to his body, and his eyes were open, staring at her...

"Crane?" she asked, still scared to believe it, "Crane! Wha... How?" her eyes locked with Shen's, who was nearly bent double, holding in laughter.

A bat walked up to Crane, lightly picked up the blade, and slammed it against his own head. The blade broke.

"It's a fake blade, you see," the bat explained.

The sound of laughter filled the room, and even Mei ling laughed weakly.

"Don't worry, you warriors are far too valuable for me to waste just for some fun," Shen spoke jerkily, laughter still tracing his voice, "I want you to witness the demise of your art. That is why you are still alive, and after that, then you will die."

He took a few steps back, addressing the bats this time, "Load them on board, after you have finished everything..."

Shen was interrupted by a groaning sound from underneath the massive pile of chains. He leaped down, landing next to the object, examining it. He suddenly leaped back, flaring his train, and thrusting his Guan Dao at the object, as he realized that Po was waking up.

"Pathetic," Mei ling thought, "Even now, he still fears that panda!"

Po, groggy as he was, still woke up fighting. His first thought was that if he was dead, then heaven wasn't worth the hype. His second was that he hoped Tigress was okay. But, as the sleep cleared from his mind, his surroundings came into view.

"Have a nice sleep, panda?" that voice sounded familiar, but it couldn't be...

"Look at me!" Po jerked his head up, and looked at the speaker.

"Shen?" he said, disbelievingly.

"Hah, not so cocky now, are you?" Shen hissed, poking the Guan Dao in Po's face.

Po didn't even notice the weapon, his eyes were focused on Shen's red ones. They were so different than when he had last seen them, so much more, soulless... And that raised an important question. What the heck was Shen doing here?

"You might as well know," Shen began again, "That I have all your precious friends captured. Try to escape, and they DIE!"

Shen was certainly paranoid. With all these chains on him, escaping was the last thing he would be doing. Po's eyes finally noticed the blade that was almost touching his nose, and his eyes widened... Then they travelled back to Shen, then back to the weapon, then back to Shen... He smiled, as if a revelation had just dawned on him.

"What do you find so interesting, panda?" Shen demanded, his eyes narrowing.

"Oh, nothing much, peacock," Po began, smiling a little at Shen's annoyance towards that title, "I was just wondering, say, what happened to your lance? It was way cooler."

Shen nearly gaped. That was the last question... this panda was stupider than he had thought. All the same, the thought of his old lance angered him, as when he had last seen it... He had been creamed by this very same panda.

"Is that a challenge, panda?" he hissed, pushing the edge of the Guan Dao against Po's nose, "I do not find your stupidity amusing in the least this time, to be honest, I have no idea why I keep you alive."

"Is it because..." Po began, still smiling, "That I'm the hero of this universe, and that the overlords that created it cannot allow me to die?"

"What?" Shen asked, confused. What on earth was this blob talking about?

"Nothing. But that wasn't a challenge, I just, y'know, wondered?"

"Well, panda," Shen replied, speaking through gritted beak, "You should know that better than anyone. I still haven't forgotten about the harbor, and it would do well for you to shut up about it."

"So, you lost your lance in the harbor? That-"

"ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE!" Shen yelled, silencing Po, "Be quiet, panda!"

"It's Po," Po reminded.

"Well, how was I to know that!?" Shen demanded, then turned his back, "Enough of this." he turned to his bats, "Take them aboard when you are ready. I shall retire for the night."

When left the room, his clanking footsteps fading into the distance.

The bats left as well, later, taking the emperor with them.

The the six warriors were left alone.

* * *

Bianfu jerked backwards, breathing heavily.

He had watched the whole thing, the torture, the anguish...

And the demented, gleeful look on Shen's face, as he watched the pitiful sorrow of a fellow being.

In that moment, Bianfu's eyes were opened. In that moment, he saw the truth.

Aang was bad, but Shen was far worse. Aang was a tyrant, but Shen was a monster. No, Shen was a DEMON. Unmatched in malice and wisdom, power and grace.

And it had been Bianfu who had set him free...

But it was too late now. It was like a train, easy to start, but impossible to stop. The army advanced on the Valley tonight, and there was nothing that could be done to stop it.

But in truth, Bianfu could not, WOULD not do anything. He had thrown his lot in with the peacock, and he would stay there until the end.

He had made his choice, he would have to live it.

* * *

Po turned to Crane, who has been placed back on the wall.

"How did Shen get here?"

"I don't know," Crane responded, shaking his head, "The only thing we knew, was from what he said..."

At that minute, Tigress joined the conversation. She was been awake the whole time, but had stayed silent about it. "What about Viper!? What happened to her?"

Crane hung his head. "I asked Shen about that..." he said, his voice choking up, "And he... Told us in references that she was dead. He said 'you will never see her again', and 'stand down, or you will join her'."

"No, NO!" Tigress yelled, "She can't be dead, she can't be!"

Everyone stared at Tigress in amazement. If they didn't know better, they would say she had tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Tigress," Po reassured, "I'm sure she's fine..."

"How can she be fine!?" Tigress questioned, "Shen said she was DEAD! How is that fine, Po?"

"Shen was bluffing," Po stated firmly, "THIS Shen has never been near the Jade palace, or Viper, for that matter. He was bluffing."

All eyes turned to him. "What are you talking about, Po?" Monkey asked.

Po sighed. In order to get them to understand, he would have to do some explaining...and confessing.

"Well, you see, Viper wasn't the only one to have helped Shen. I, may, just a little, have helped too..."

"Po?" Tigress growled, "You did what?"

"I helped Viper take care of Shen, alright!" Po cried, "He said he was going to change..."

"Yeah right..." Monkey said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No, really!" Po tried to convince, "Look, I'll tell you the whole story, but you cannot judge me until it's done. After that, I throw myself at the mercy of the court."

"Po, what do we need to hear?" Crane said, frowning.

"Yeah, Shen is evil, end of story!" Mantis added.

"I cannot believe that the Dragon Warrior would do a thing like this!" Mei ling hissed, her ears flattening, "You do not deserve that title!"

"Quiet!" Tigress's eyes were cold, but she nodded. "Go ahead, Po."

"Thanks, Tigress," Po sighed, "It all started when I followed Viper away from the galley, back at Gongmen city..."

Po proceeded to tell them the entire story. The Masters listened in stony silence, although they seemed about to interject every other sentence.

"...and that's it. Do what you will with that."

"That is an impressive story, Dragon Warrior," Tigress stated.

Po winced. Tigress only ever called him 'Dragon Warrior' when she was either very impressed, or very angry.

"But I am disappointed that you and Viper, two intelligent, rational people, would let Shen trick you like that." Tigress's eyes remained cold, locking Po in fear. "You could at least have told us!"

"I tried, but I was constantly interrupted!" Po exclaimed, "And Shen wasn't tricking us, I'm sure of that..."

"Look around us, Po!" Mei ling shouted, "He has taken us prisoner! How could he not have tricked you!?"

"I think it's the old YinYang thing again," Po said thoughtfully, "The stuff do-"

"The old WHAT?" The other Masters shouted collectively.

"You know, what happened when I looked in the mirror of Yin and Yang. There were two of me, one good, one evil-"

"But this Shen doesn't seem like you did then. He is still... whole, I don't know how to describe it. He still has doubts, not completely evil."

"I said it was like that, not was exactly it, I mean, c'mon, where would he get the mirror of Yin and Yang?" Po replied, "What I mean is, that there are two of him, and one has been blamed for the crimes of the other!"

"If that was so," Tigress said skeptically, "Why would Shen say that he wanted to change?"

"Uuuummmm..." Po mumbled, stumped, "I don't know, perhaps he-"

"What gave you this outlandish idea, anyways?" Mantis inquired, "I mean, not everyone suddenly has the random idea that the person in front of them has been split in half..."

"Ahh, but not everyone HAS been split in half, have they?" Po retorted with a grin, "But there was more too it than that. Remember, I gave Shen his lance back, the original one. And you will notice that he did not have it with him."

"Ahh, yeah, he could have just lost it..." Crane pointed out.

"Yes, but then he mentioned the harbor, suggesting that he thought it was lost in the harbor," Po replied, "And he didn't even remember my name!"

"Yeah, well, when I see two Shens together, I'll believe it..."

Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by a group of bats, trooping into the room.

"Alright, let's get going!" a bat called, "Ghan, how on earth are we going to safely move these guys?"

The bat called Ghan smiled. "Shen thought of that, Bianfu! All we have to do is...THIS!" with some effort, the bat pushed down a lever, and the walls the Masters were tied to turned into some kind of stone bed, folding down from the wall. "See?" Ghan smiled again, "All we have to do now, is move the platforms!"

"All we have to do?" Bianfu replied, "These things are HUGE, man! I think we're going to need some more bats..."

"Well then, ya' go get some, and me and the boys here will get to work."

"Sounds reasonable enough," Bianfu mused, stroking his cheek, "But don't let them escape!"

Ghan sighed. "I won't, you just get those bats!"

Bianfu raced out of the room, while Ghan and the remaining bats hoisted up the stone slab that held Crane, and began to lift him out of the room, carrying him away.

The others wondered where he was being taken, but they didn't have to wait long to find out, as more bats came in, and began carrying them also. They were taken upstairs, and the stone slabs were removed. The chains were not, however, which made any attempt to escape, for the time being, futile.

It was then that they saw their destination. Hovering inches above the ground, the now fully inflated _Iron Princess_ stood before them, looking incredibly sinister in the dying light. A faint red glow emanated from it's massive balloon, showing that the fires inside were lit and ready to go.

"Are you going to take us INSIDE that thing?" Mei ling asked incredulously, her ears going flat, "Well? I can't do that!"

"Well, yeah!" a bat replied, grunting as it lifted her, "Of course! What else would we be going to all this work for?"

The Masters were loaded onto the Iron Princess, which had more room this time, as it was not carrying as many gliders, and only half the bats.

Chained to posts as they were, they were placed on a balcony, where they could see the ground. It was tantalizing, if they didn't have these chains on them, they could still have escaped, and stopped the whole thing.

But soon, any hope was dashed, as the massive airship lurched into the sky, leaving the ground behind. The Masters, although used to heights, were still in awe of the ground, steadily shrinking below them. It was beautiful, and it saddened them to think that such beauty was caused by such a monster.

Crane, who was used to such things, noticed one Master in particular that was not enjoying this at all. Mei ling, her ears pressed back against her head, was staring upwards, trying to ignore the fact that they were steadily getting further and further up.

Crane now remembered that she never had liked heights, and decided to comfort her, although he was tied to a post, he could still do something.

"Mei ling?" he asked, testing for a response.

He got no answer. If anything, she looked away from him. How could she bear to look at him, when only a few hours ago, she had pulled a rope, very nearly ending his life? Even if it was a demented, cruel joke, Mei ling had not known that. Therefore, had the guillotine been real, Crane would be dead now. How could she ever talk to him again, how could he ever be friends?

"Mei ling," Crane said calmly. An important thing with soothing fears is that you must sound confident yourself.

Mei ling was afraid of what he was going to say, afraid that he would cut her with words. But gosh, he sounded so, calm... And she felt guilty, very guilty. She knew what Crane would say, probably something along the lines of 'Mei ling, what went through your mind as you pulled that rope?' or, "I'm sorry, but I don't really want to associate with someone who would kill me..."

"Mei ling," Crane said again, "Just calm down. There's nothing to be afraid of in heights."

Heights? Crane thought it was the heights that was bothering her? And how could he even care? She had almost KILLED him...

"Crane," she finally answered, her voice trembling, "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I never would have wanted to kill you-"

"What are you talking about?" Crane interrupted, "Mei ling, I never thought any less of you for that! You had no other choice, the emperor was your first duty. Besides, I know you would never want to do anything like that...although you did kinda beat me up whenever we sparred.."

"Well, I still am sorry, I'll go slower next time..." Mei ling replied miserably, not catching the jest, "I really am sorry, I feel so awful..."

"I'm glad that you would sacrifice your friend to save me, but it really wasn't necessary," the emperor jutted in, who was tied there with them, "But, if we ever do get out, you will be rewarded."

Mei ling didn't even notice that the emperor had spoken, she just continued in her miserable ranting, "I feel awful... When I thought you were dead, it was the worst moment of my life. I want you to know, that I would never, never, do that otherwise..."

"Mei ling, I know all that. Seriously, you're acting like I hadn't trained with you for about fifteen years..." Crane smiled, then became more serious, as he continued, "Look, Mei ling, I forgive you, and I hope that makes you feel better. But, I really didn't expect you to make any other decision, you did have the emperor..."

"But Crane!" she said, in a moaning tone, "I nearly KILLED you! How can you ever forgive anyone from that?"

"Because... Because that's what we Kung Fu Masters do," Crane replied.

Mei ling didn't seem to notice that Crane had replied, and continued, "But I had never felt so awful... Crane, when I thought I had killed you, I killed me... That made me realize..."

Crane was about to interject, but she spoke over him, "Crane, I always thought of you as a friend, but when I felt that, I-I realized that you mean much more to me... I love you, Crane, and always have, without even realizing it...until now..."

She heard an odd noise, and saw that Crane was staring at her, with his beak hanging open. He attempted to speak, but failed, only making little gawking noises. "Well-well...I -I.. Th-th..."

Mantis, Monkey, and Po, who were chained on either side of Crane, now stood astonished, listening to the whole conversation.

"Woah, that's...great, Crane..." Po breathed, "I mean, I'm not sure if this is the right time, but hey, if true love calls..."

Crane, still stupefied, now turned a deep shade of red.

"Still say she's not your girlfriend now, Crane?" Monkey grinned, causing the avian to blush farther.

Mei ling glared at Monkey. It seemed that, whatever she did, she always got Crane embarrassed.

"Lay off him, Monkey," Tigress poked into the conversation, "It's not his fault..."

She, who had been concentrating her mental energies the entire time, had not been paying attention until up to this point. She had been trying to send a mental message to Master Shifu, hoping he would get it. Now she defended Crane, feeling slightly surprised.

"Crane, the first one to get a girl. Figures."

As the _Iron Princess_ heaved higher, all the banter among the Masters was hushed, as the new emperor of China paced onto the balcony. He did not speak, only walking over to the edge, and looking at the view.

A few minutes later, he spoke. "All of this, all of it, belongs to me," he said, turning to the warriors, "And it is glorious as it has never been before, even the ground you now stand on. Can you honestly say I would not make a great emperor?"

"A true emperor does not destroy it's people!" Xu Nai Xan exclaimed, his bill twitching with anger.

"Sad..." Shen muttered, too low for anyone to hear him, "That even now, I cannot do anything right..."

* * *

Elsewhere, Master Shifu stood on that peachtree staff. He was balanced, his body the picture of inner peace. But then his body shook, as he received a vision...

* * *

_Author's note: I'm sorry about the wait guys, I lost my IPad and computer...mtjanks for patiently waiting._

_Oh, and um... Sorry about the blatant lie I told you at the beginning of the chapter. It's just that a reader will automatically assume that a main character will never die, so I had to add that, for you to feel Mei Ling's pain. (Sorry I spelled her name wrong in the chapter, by the way)._

_And ASDFGHJJKL! This story has over 220 reviews, and now has over ten THOUSAND views! Wow! Thank you so much!_

_Until next time, goodbye! Please review!_


	45. Visions

Chapter Forty-Six

_It was dark, silence entrapping the void. But it was not an all-encompassing darkness, there were shapes in the gloom. Shapes that seemed almost to speak to the heart and mind of the beholder. They were symbols, and they spoke of fire, a coming firestorm... A coming firestorm from which there was no resisting. Dread was there, mixed with a terrible foreboding, fear of the unknown._

_The image shifted, to a screen of fire, sweeping slowly across the land, burning everything in it's path. Shifu turned, taken by a sudden, crippling fear. But the fire overtook him, scalding him... But he was not harmed. Looking up, he saw what lay behind the curtain of flame. A monster, floating on air, massive teeth rending the sky. And placed delicately between the __monster's eyebrows... stood the white emperor, Shen Lee Han. _

_The scene zoomed in, until one of Shen's eyes filled his entire vision. The iris was red, burning red like flames, filling even Master Shifu with dread. A curtain of skin fell between them, as Shen blinked. When the eye reopened, there was no seeing eye there, but a train-eye, red, white and black. That grew, towering above Shifu, yet still hovering before his eyes. _

_Everything else faded away, but that great eye, red, white, and black, remained. But it was changing, half of the crimson circle darkening, turning to black. Still, the colors remained the same, red, white, and black. The black side of the circle twisted against the red side, until all that was left was white and black, black and white._

_Black and white. A warrior..._

_Right on cue, the eyespot turned into the Yin/Yang symbol, __before that too, faded away..._

_Shifu thought that he was leaving the vision, but then, peach blossoms blew past him, a sweet smell wafting breezily by. Shifu snapped to attention, he knew what that heralded..._

_"Greetings, my old friend..." the serene voice of Grandmaster Oogway floated to the red panda's ears._

_"Master?" Shifu asked hesitatingly, "Master, where are you?"_

_"Why, I'm right behind you!"_

_Shifu turned, and his heart nearly leaped out of his chest at the sight of his beloved Master. He looked the same as he always had, but wiser, if that were possible._

_"It's good to see you again, Master," Shifu said, "I have missed you."_

_Oogway smiled, "It is good to see you again, as well, old friend. But I came to give you a message, to help you act on your vision."_

_"What is it, Master?" Shifu asked._

_"The message..." Oogway paused, a small silence filling the darkness, before answering, "An empty shell approaches your halls. The filling lies below. Do not judge what eyes see, and remember the colors."_

_"Remember...Master, that doesn't make any sense!" Shifu cried desperately, a feeling of pressure overwhelming his senses, as if there was not enough time..._

_"Remember," Oogway said again, "Not all things were evil from the beginning. From the fire that comes, no water will quench, save one. You hold the answer under your halls... the cure to fix broken walls."_

_"But Master!"_

_"Oh, and someone here wants to talk to you," Oogway continued, "I'll give her a line."_

_Oogway faded away, and in his place, the form of a bird materialized, graceful and wispy, as if it was made of light._

_It spoke, it's voice sounding like a breeze, light and whispery, soothing and altogether entrancing._

_"Greeting, Master Shifu," the bird began, "I am Fenghuang, queen of Avia, and I foretell that the peacock that you hold beneath your halls is a piece of a puzzle, which shall determine, not only the fate of China, but the mortal realm. What his part is, I have not determined. But you must not let him die, I have already given him my grace to return to life, and I cannot do it again."_

_"Shen?" Shifu asked incredulously, "But he is evil! It is he that brings this firestorm to China!"_

_Fenghuang smiled, but her words were hurried, "Nothing is evil at it's beginning. The fire that surrounds the peacock is not his own, but it is he that controls it, and he alone can extinguish it. But it is his likeness that brings the fire to the world, and yet, it is him. __I fear I have been too hasty..."_

_Fenghuang started to fade, and her last words were blurred, "If...ot...China... Shen, he will be defeated by... Shen ... There is no... a warrior of black and white."_

_And she was gone, leaving no trace that she had ever been there._

Shifu fell off the staff with a thump, gasping for breath. The vision was gone, but it was burned onto his mind, as if branded with fire. Every detail was there, etched into the working if his brain, to stay forever.

What had that meant? Fenghuang and Oogway's words were cryptic, but the meaning of his visions were clear.

Shen was coming.

Shen, the white emperor, was coming to claim what he believed to be his. The thought was odd, considering who was locked in the cell below his feet, but there was no doubt in his mind that the peacock himself was on his way. Deciphering the message would have to come later, the first thing to do was to get the villagers out of there. The Five...

The Five. If Shen was coming here, the warriors must have failed. They must either be dead, or captured...

The thought shook Shifu down to his core. Those warriors had been with him long, if he had sent them to their deaths...

He shook the thought from his head, heading towards the dungeon where Shen was held. He could not help but wonder how Shen was coming, if he was in the dungeon... But it was Viper he wanted to speak to. He would need her to help him evacuate the villagers.

Reaching the stairways, he descended, still thinking. Perhaps Shen's army was on it's way here... The red panda passed the hall of artifacts, and his eyes rested on a closet, a closet containing a mirror.

The mystical mirror of Yin and Yang. Known for it's ability to separate a being into two parts, one good, one evil. What the practical uses of such a device were is a mystery, but Shifu knew it worked. Po had once looked into it, and his evil side had terrorized them all, until they managed to fuse him together again.

But that sparked a train of thoughts, jumbled and disorderly, into the Master's head. Two separate entities...was that possible?

But he would need to sort through them later. By air, Shen could reach the Valley in as little as two days, and even now, he could be entering the outermost regions of the Valley. Shifu, as head of the Valley, was responsible for the citizens safety. He needed to evacuate the Valley, and he needed Viper's help.

He rushed down the stairs, looking at the walls.

"An empty shell approaches your halls, the filling lies below..." he muttered to himself, as he walked down, "What did that mean?"

As if in answer, the words of Fenghuang came back to him. _"The peacock you hold beneath your halls..."_

Hmmmm, it's as if they were working together to confuse him! Surely they could not mean that...

Shifu had reached the bottom of the stairs, and now stood before the dungeon room, a room which had remained unused for centuries. Now it housed a white peacock, and a miserable snake. But perhaps, just maybe, this would give Viper a chance to redeem herself.

He pushed the door open, walking in. Viper stood up straight, and bowed snake-style.

"Viper," he began, by way of greeting, "We need to evacuate the Valley. Lord- excuse me,

emperor Shen is on his way here, and I imagine that he could reach here very soon."

Viper stared at him in shock. "B-but Master, Shen is right here!" she gestured to Shen, who was paying rapt attention to the conversation, "How can he be attacking?"

"I don't know Viper, I don't know," Shifu replied, "I only received a vision, and it said that Shen was attacking. We must evacuate the Valley!"

Shen shuffled, suddenly having a flashback.

_*Flashback begins*_

_The light emanating from his body was enough to see by, so Shen took advantage, using it to look around. Wooden walls, iron ceiling and floor... Ahh, that is where he was. He had specially designed the powder room on each ship to be able to withstand incredible strains and pressures. That is where he must be. He looked up. He could see a huge crack in the ceiling, sealed by the remains of his cannon. He looked down...then something caught his eye._

_Was that...with the utmost horror, Shen realizes what that was. Lying in the center of the room, directly under the crack, was the body of a white peacock._

_Nervously, he approached it. He knew what it was, what else could it be? It was HIMSELF, lying dead on the floor. He reached it, and, quaveringly reached out..._

_It moved! As his wing reached it, it's head suddenly turned, and it's eye opened. For just a second, the two Shens were staring into each other's eyes..._

_*Flashback ends*_

Was that real? Perhaps he should tell them...

"No Shen, they would never believe you..." Nehsa, curled around Shen's body, whispered in his ear, "You should not think of helping them, anyway. You owe them nothing."

Shen heeded her advice, and kept quiet, falling back into a cloud of gloom...

"But Master-"

Viper was interrupted by Shifu, pointing his staff at Shen. "What do you know, Shen? Have your armies come to rescue you?"

Shen gave no response, only glaring sorrowfully.

Shifu sighed, turning back to Viper. "Master Viper, the citizens must be saved. And- and.." Shifu paused, smallowed, and continued, "And I need your help. I cannot traverse the entire Valley by myself, and Zeng can only do so much. I need you as well."

"Yes Master," Viper bowed, then continued, "But what of the others? Tigress, Po... What about them?"

Shifu sighed again, a frown etching it's way across his face. "I-I... I received no word of them. Their fate is uncertain. I am not even sure that they still live."

Viper blanched. "I-I will go, Master..." she turned and fled from the room, heading up the stairs with speed unnatural for her species. She thought of what she was about to do, shutting out the thoughts of her fellow Masters, blocking the rush of tears to her eyes. How could this have happened? Life had all turned upside-down for her, all in the space of two and a half weeks.

She flew out the Jade palace, feeling the air in her face. And then she realized that you cannot run from your emotions, they always catch up eventually. Cold, silent tears flowed down her cheeks, as she slithered down the stairs.

Flapping reached her inner ears, and she looked up. A goose, elderly, fell from the sky in front of her, gasping breathlessly.

"Master...Viper?" the goose gasped.

"Zeng? What is it?" Viper questioned, "I was just about to go looking for you..."

"I need to see Master Shifu! It is very important!" Zeng squawked, hopping from one foot to the other.

"What's important? Tell me first..." Viper asked, "And hurry about it, I need to be going."

"Alright, I suppose I can tell you," the goose mused, "Alright, I'll tell you. I was flying, some distance from the Valley, and I saw... something! It was massive, and flying!"

Viper's eyebrows knotted in concern. "Where was it, Zeng?"

"It was about seventy miles away, and heading for the Valley! And, and, I saw the Dragon Warrior, most of the Five, and some cat, chained on the front-"

Viper interrupted. "You saw the Five? Were they alive?"

Zeng smiled, "Hey, that rhymed!"

"Zeng!" Viper hissed, exasperated, "Were they alive!?"

"I'm not sure! They could have been, it was quite a distance away," Zeng replied, thinking, "But, putting all those chains on a dead person is pointless, so I'd say they were alive. But don't trust my word, I got out of there pretty fast, it was really, really scary! Can I go see Master Shifu now?"

Viper grinned. "Sure Zeng, go ahead. He'll be glad to see you."

Zeng ran up the stairs, leaving Viper to go down them. She felt a weight come off her shoulders. They were, well, they could be, alive! They could be alive! The thought was immensely comforting, but she still had a job to do. No rescue mission could be attempted, as they... Without Crane, they could not even get to the floating fortress. But she could not think of that now, even if those Masters were like her family... She had to evacuate the villagers.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, she began shouting around, telling the villagers to evacuate.

"Everybody, listen up!" she shouted. She waited a little, for people to pay attention to what she was saying, before continuing, "We have good reason to think that the Valley is going to be attacked soon" - a rush of horrified gasps ran through the crowd, and a few more villagers stopped to listen - "so, don't panic, just go through our rehearsed evacuation procedures."

"Who's attacking?" a villager asked.

"Where is Shifu?" another demanded, "Why isn't he telling us this?"

"Shifu," said an elderly voice, "Is right here. I'll take this over, Viper, you go elsewhere."

Viper bowed, and left Shifu to deal with all the questions. She slithered, looking for the largest concentrations of citizens. She passed Dragon Warrior Noodles and Tofu, a shop owned by Po's adoptive father, Mr. ping. It seemed to be pretty busy, so she went in.

"Look everyone!" a voice called almost instantly, "It's Master Viper! She eats here too!"

Viper smiled slightly, turning to the owner of the voice, Mr. Ping himself.

"I'm sorry Mr. Ping," she began, "I didn't come here to eat. You and all your customers must flee the Valley, it's going to be attacked soon..."

Suddenly, Viper was nearly trampled by the rush of customers fleeing the restaurant.

She was left alone with Mr. Ping. "I'm sorry Mr. Ping, I seem to have frightened away all your customers..."

"Is the Valley really going to be attacked?" Mr. Ping asked, twiddling the ends of his wings.

Viper sighed sadly. "I'm afraid so. Zeng saw it, and Master Shifu had a vision... I'm afraid so, Mr. Ping."

"What are you doing to stop it?" the old goose questioned, "Or, what have you done to stop it?" he noticed the snake's surprise, and added, "What? I do listen to my son's endless ravings about you people! You never run until you can no longer fight, when all else has failed. So, what did you try?"

Viper frowned, "We...we sent the rest of the Five-"

"My son?" Mr. Ping interrupted.

"Yes, your son went too. They were to try to rescue the old emperor, and defeat Shen's army..."

"And they failed," Mr. Ping finished for her, his face darkening, "Is he- did he... Die?"

"N-no..." Viper muttered, her eyes betraying her own fear and sadness, "He is not dead, but Shen has taken him prisoner-"

"Shen? But I thought my son already defeated Shen, and saved China!" Mr. Ping interrupted.

"He did, but..." Viper bit her lip, tears showing, "But Shen did not die. I-I saved him... And your son helped. That's just the type of person he was, compassionate... Oh, Mr. Ping, this is all my fault! Your son has been taken captive, and it's all my fault!"

Mr. Ping said nothing, but he turned, and walked away. He began to gather things together in a bag, a pan, a rolling pin...

"Wh- what are you doing?" Viper asked, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm gathering my things," Mr. Ping said simply, "To go save Po. Family doesn't let family be captured, and do nothing."

The words could have been spoken right to her, for her. That was what she was doing, those warriors were her family, a family... Family doesn't let family down. She had betrayed them, but that did not mean she had to leave them...

"Mr. Ping," she said, putting her tail on his wing, "You are right. You are right. And those warriors, as well as your son, are MY family. And family does not let family down. I will save your son, Mr. Ping, I promise, I will find some way to do it, but I will save him, and the other warriors. I promise."

The goose looked up at her, and smiled. "That means a lot to me. My son is lucky to have people like you in his family," he bowed, and spoke again, "Go with blessing, Master Viper."

"Thank you, Mr. Ping. Po is fortunate to have a wise father like you," Viper replied, "Farewell!"

She left the shop, thinking hard. She had promised, no turning back now...

But there was only one person who could stop Shen's army, and that was... Shen himself.

She went outside, and looked at the sky. Dark, dry clouds were gathered, ominous and foreboding. She looked down, seeing the Jade palace. She moved away, heading back towards the palace.

* * *

Master Shifu watched the long, thin line of villagers, leaving the Valley. He sighed. He and Zeng had done well. Most of the Valley was evacuating, and now things were calming down. He felt like he had three years ago, when Tai Lung returned...

But, now that things were calmer, he could think, think and ponder. The rush of thoughts that had come to his mind when he saw the mystical mirror still annoyed him, so he set his thoughts to work, figuring it out. What was he to do? Why did Oogway have to be so cryptic?

Oogway had said that _"From the fire that comes, no water will quench, save one..."_ which one? But then Fenghuang had said... A piece fell into place, and then the whole thing came clear. It was mind-bogglingly simple. Whatever Oogway had said in mystery, Fenghuang had given him the key!

_"Remember, not all things were evil from the beginning..."_ Oogway had said, and Fenghuang had also said, _"Nothing is evil at it's beginning."_ they must have been speaking of the same thing! But what?

_ "An empty shell approaches your halls. The filling lies below."_

What lay below his halls? He already knew that one, it was, as Fenghuang had said..._ "the peacock you hold beneath your halls..."_ What had that meant? That Shen was an empty shell? The thought he had earlier, about two Shens, came back again. Did that mean that there were two Shens, one empty, one full...of what? And what was he to do with this knowledge? Again, was there a way for Shen to be stopped?

_ "From the fire that comes, no water will quench, save one..."_

And then the answer, _"The fire that surrounds the peacock is not his own, but it is he that controls it, and he alone can extinguish it..."_

Shifu rocked with that last revelation, nearly falling backwards. Shen, the one who caused this, had to fight and defeat himself! That was the only way for him to ever be defeated!

But... something bothered Shifu. The vision he had, showed that Shen would be defeated by a warrior of black and white. Fenghuang had seemed to reinforce that, as she faded away. Shen was not black and white.

That would have to be sorted out later. For now, Shifu knew he had to get back to the palace.

* * *

Viper slithered into the dungeons, heading towards the white peacock.

"Shen!" she shouted the name, hoping to rouse the peacock with the tone of her voice, "Shen, listen to me!"

Shen raised his head, and locked his eyes with hers. She trembled, but returned the stare.

"What do you want, you traitorous wretch!?" Shen hissed, speaking to her with a horrible tone, "Have you not tortured me enough!?"

Viper was startled by the peacock's tone, but she refused to back down. "Shen, I did not come here to torture you. I did not come here to argue. I came here to get your help."

Shen raised himself up further. "My help? You came here for my help?" Shen laughed slightly, the sound creepy in the echoing room, "After all you have done, you return to me for help? What do you need help with?"

The last sentence was not a caring, but mocking one.

"Shen, your army-" Viper began, but was cut off.

"My army. I would like to ask just how you expect me to have an army?" Shen glared daggers, and laughed when he saw that Viper had no response, "That's what I thought. Do you ever think before throwing accusations at someone? No. Of course, I don't expect you to care. There is no punishment horrible enough for traitors like you!"

Viper finally lost her calm, and exploded, "I did NOT betray you! They ASKED me! Do you have the SLIGHTEST idea of what would happen to me, had I lied for you?"

Shen seemed to soften for a second. "No worse than what will happen to me, because you told the truth..." then he hardened again, and hissed, his train flaring up, "Do you know what will happen to ME? They will KILL me!"

"That didn't seem to bother you before," Viper retorted, "When the cannon fell, you just stood there."

Shen sighed, softening again. "Then I died. I met Fenghuang, and she sent me back. Now, should I die again, I will have to face her...and I will have failed."

Viper lost her momentum for a while. She had never considered that aspect of it...

"Shen..." she began again, "Whatever the case, an army that claims to be led by you-"

"LIES!" Shen interrupted.

"Nevertheless, they said they are led by you," Viper replied, trying to remain calm, "And they have taken the Five prisoner."

"My, how sad. It would appear we are equal then, wouldn't it? What do you want me to do, command the army that I know nothing about to release them?"

"No," Viper replied simply, "I want you to come with me, and defeat them. Together."

Shen stopped cold, fixing her with his stare. "To do that, you would have to release me" - Viper nodded - "and I would be right next to you. Aren't you afraid that as soon as I'm out, I will kill you?"

Viper trembled, "Yes, I am," she replied, "I'm terrified. But you know what, Shen? Those warriors are my family, and I will do anything possible to save them, even if it means traveling with you. Because family is always worth it."

Shen only glared, and sat down.

"Come on Shen," she pleaded, "Wouldn't you do anything to save your family? To make them happy?"

Shen's eyes widened, at the thought of the last time he tried to make his family happy. When he came home, wanting them to see his accomplishment, but they had only seen destruction. And what had that earned him?

"Exile," Nehsa whispered in his ear. She had been speaking the whole time, acting as Shen's spokesman, responding to each of Viper's questions.

"Shen, I will do anything to save them, and even if that means dragging you along, I will do it."

Shen looked up, and smiled. But it was not a soothing smile, it was sinister. "Well, I'm glad you feel that way," he said placidly, still smiling, "I once felt the same way. I would have done anything for them, even... Even massacring a village of pandas." he stood up again, pushing his head through the bars of his cell, into her face, "Do you think what you are doing is honorable? Of course you do. You are convinced. Well, it turns out that whatever one thinks, when you are most sure of it, you are most likely to be WRONG!"

As he said the word 'wrong' his face changed, into a raging demon. Viper slithered backwards, and Shen pulled his head back into the bars.

"Shen," Viper said, all calm gone from her voice, her eyes dripping with angry tears, "You are a monster. An insane monster."

Shen drew back, answering himself, pushing Nehsa aside. "I am not insane! You are the one who continually goes on about an army I don't have, and a crown that I have never seen! If anyone is insane, it is you!"

"Viper is not insane," an elderly, familiar voice said calmly from behind them, "But I cannot say the same about you, Shen."

Master Shifu strode into the room, and eyed Shen. "I have had a vision, it said there may be two of you. Is that true?"

Nehsa tried to answer, but Shen was still there, answering himself. "I do not know," he said, "But I believe so..."

Viper looked to Shifu. "Two... of him?"

"Yes," Shifu replied,

"And not only that, but my vision tells me that one must fight and defeat the other."

"I shall do nothing!" Shen hissed, "Why can you not get your amazing 'warrior of black and white' to defeat...me?"

"Po was taken captive, along with the rest of the Five, and Mei ling."

Viper noticed Shen's eyebrows raise slightly, and jumped on her chance. "Shen, how can you be so heartless? Po did everything possible for you, even telling some of the secret scrolls" - Master Shifu blinked in surprise at this point - "And he gave you your lance back! Surely you owe him! He did not betray you!" she sighed, and continued, "If you won't do anything for me, perhaps you could do something for him."

Shen thought, his eyes knitting. Nehsa tried to get his attention, but it was no use. While he was thinking, she could not talk.

"It is possible," Shifu stated, "That Viper's mistake could save us all."

"Compassion is a force that drives the world, Shen," Viper added, "That goes for you too. You must decide what you do, the choice always comes down to you. The most important thing is what you decide right now."

Shen nodded slightly, and Nehsa shook her head frantically, making slitting motions across her throat. But Shen was too busy thinking to notice. He knew that there was no escape for him, because there was two of him. Even if he was innocent, no-one would ever believe that. No matter what he did, he would die.

But, perhaps it was not that you died, but how you died... If he died, he would die with... what was that word again? Something he had neglected lately. Honor. If he was to die, then the least he could do was to die with honor.

"You're right..." Shen gasped, "You are absolutely right... I must choose, and I choose... THIS!"

As if by magic, a long, symmetrically curved lance appeared in his wings, unfolded from his robes. It arced sideways, effortlessly cutting through the bars of his cell, and creating a hole big enough to step through.

He leaped through the hole, a caw sounding from his throat, and he pointed the lance at Shifu.

Shifu reacted fast, sliding backwards and jumping to the top of Grandmaster Oogway's staff. But Shen did not continue his attack, instead folding the lance back into his robes.

"I will come with you. If this is my destiny, so be it," he said, determinedly.

Viper's eyes were fixed on where Shen had placed his lance.

"You... you could have killed me the whole time!" she quaked slightly.

"You are an accomplished Master, it wouldn't have been easy," Shen laughed, "And what would that have accomplished? Nothing." then he darkened, placing his face closer to hers, "Listen, Viper, I may forgive you for what you have done to me, but I will not forget. I will never again trust you, until you have earned that trust. Provided I live that long."

"Shen!" Shifu interrupted, and Shen turned to him, "Do not think this means you will escape your sentence. Once this is over, you will face your punishment."

Shen straightened up. "I understand that, Shifu," he said, "I understand. But I do not expect to live to see that."

"Shen, do not underestimate the power of belief," Shifu instructed. Shen was about to respond, but Shifu interrupted him, "And when you talk to me again, refer to me as 'Master'. Understood?"

Shen nodded. "Understood... Master."

Viper watched the two, and she saw almost a likeness between the two, some kind of connection.

"Excellent," Shifu stated, "Let's go."

The three warriors ran up the stairs, rushing into the grey light of the outside. Wind rushing met their ears, and the air almost hummed with a foreboding energy.

Shen sighed, looking around. He stood at the top of the thousand steps, two legendary Masters beside him, not against him, but with him. This was what he had secretly desired for so long. Pity it had to happen on what he was sure was one of the last days of his life.

A dark shape, almost invisible, appeared on the horizon. But they all knew what it was.

It was Shen, and he was coming here.

* * *

_Author's note: And so it begins... The final battle is now almost here! All bets are off! _


	46. Rise or fall

Chapter Forty-Seven

The shadow of the airship ran below, seeming to swallow all that it touched. Shen was perched on his airship's balcony, watching the Jade palace, still far in the distance, get closer and closer. It was extremely amusing to him that he could take all the time in the world, and the defenders of the Valley could do nothing. The _Iron Princess_ was too high for them to reach, so he could take all the time he needed.

Turning, he set his eyes on his seven captives, six legendary warriors, and one former emperor. Even now, they still looked defiant, still unbeaten in spirit. Apparently, his little prank with Crane had done nothing to actually hurt their resolve. Now, if he had actually killed Crane... Perhaps that had been a mistake. Although it had been amusing, there had not actually been much accomplished. They still looked as determined as ever...

A small smile cracked his beak, at the hilarity of it. They still thought that something was going to happen, that they could be saved? The stupidity behind that notion made his smile widen. He was going to LOVE to see the expressions on their faces, as they watched the Jade palace and the rest of the Valley burn, then the shocked faces as he rammed a knife into their hearts.

He leaped off the balcony, and stalked towards the Masters. Tigress snarled viciously at him, but he walked right up to her, almost touching her.

"My, such angry faces! But now, this is a time only for joy," he smirked, purposefully using the exact same words he had used just over a year ago, "As soon as we reach the Jade palace, it and the Kung Fu it stands for, will DIE!"

Tigress said nothing, only glaring him down.

"But don't worry," Shen continued, "I will not allow you to seep in misery for long. Once the Jade palace has burnt to the ground, you will be next to fall."

Tigress finally spoke, "You think you can terrify me by threats? Pitiful, pitiful. But I wouldn't expect any more from you, a sickly-"

"Silence, cat," Shen warned.

"White-"

"Be quiet."

"COWARD, who can do NOTHING but destroy!"

"SHUT UP!" Shen yelled, his eyebrows trembling, "I do not CARE what you think of me. I don't care if I am a coward, and I do not CARE if you think I can do nothing but destroy. I pride myself on the fact that I do it well. But I am emperor, and you will be SILENT when I order you to." his face was sickeningly calm as he said these words, as if his heated words failed to move any emotion on his face.

Tigress remained silent. She could do nothing if she was dead.

Shen smiled, "See? Doesn't that feel better?" he stepped back from Tigress, and addressed the others, "And as for you, do not think that anyone will come to save you. You can only die."

Shen, receiving no answer, turned away from them, going back to the balcony. There was nothing more for him to do here.

His eyes swept the ground, far below him. Soon, it would light the night sky, sending sparks into the air as it burned. The spectacle already played out in his mind's eye, the Valley set into flames. It was a pity, that such innocent lives would be lost, but that was the way of things. Death is the only way to allow life to continue, and a death by fire was an honorable one.

To burn, to cleanse with fire, to destroy, so that what came next could be brought about, better than what came before. Like a Phoenix, perishing in flames, only for a new and renewed Phoenix to rise from the ashes, and take it's place. In the end, life was only a shadow on the sun, and any death only served to make the sun shine brighter.

The sun would burn bright, after today.

The airship moved closer, and the Jade palace became more and more distinct in the distance. What could possibly stand in his way now? Nothing.

"Because nothing stands in my way," he muttered to himself, "Nothing. Those that do are swallowed, and they deserve no mercy. I certainly shall never give them any."

The Iron Princess began a wide turn, away from the Jade Palace. Shen was going to launch the gliders, and he could not afford to have that massive mountain beneath him when he did so. This would waste time, but it was a strategic move; Shen had learned never to place impatience over strategy.

* * *

Down below, the lines of battle were being drawn, as Shifu rounded up some of the more able-bodied villagers that remained, giving them weapons, and instructions. Shifu had reasoned, (with Shen's help) that the emperor would not waste his fire-weapons on the Valley itself, and would save those for taking down the Palace. The bats themselves would be sent on the Valley, and those could be fought.

But they still had no way of taking down the airship, and that would be their downfall, if they did not think of something. What COULD they do about that? It was just too high, they had nothing that could reach it. Shifu paced in front of the line of volunteers, who stood proudly in a line. Temutai, king of the Cheetah, had sent all of his warriors to help, as well as coming himself. Although he and Shifu may have had some... differences, in the past, they had to put that behind them now. They were all in this together.

Shifu continued to pace. Although the warriors stood bravely, he could sense the underlying fear, which was well-justified, considering what hovered above their heads.

"Everyone, we go into this fight, not knowing whether any of us hall ever make it out, and whether we do, will it be alive, or a mangled carcass," Shifu began, stopping his pacing, and regarding each warrior in turn, "The monstrosity that floats above our heads is a weapon, created by Emperor Shen. Some have said that it is the end, of Kung Fu, of everything. But we will fight nonetheless, because what we have here, this valley, and the people that populate it, are worth fighting for."

A collective shout rang from the group, and Shifu continued to speak, before dismissing them. They were split up all over the Valley, where they stood like sentinels, waiting, waiting.

"Master Shifu, we have split everyone all around the Valley, as best we could," Viper informed, slithering up alongside him, "And Shen is still trying to figure out a way onto the airship."

"Very good, he can stay doing that. I fear his presence in the Valley would cause far too many questions," Shifu replied, "And has he come up with anything useful?"

Viper sighed, "No, I'm afraid not," she murmured, before asking another question, "Oh, Master Shifu, how are we do differentiate between the two Shens? We can't just go saying 'Shen' all the time..."

Shifu paused, and considered that, before answering. "Call one 'The Emperor' and the other 'Shen'. That should stop us from confusing the two."

"Yes Master," Viper replied, "Well, the Emperor draws closer, and that airship is now beginning to circle the Valley."

"The only thing we can do about that," Shifu sighed, and looked into her eyes, "Is to be ready. Everything else is not in our hands."

Viper half-smiled. "I haven't got any hands," she muttered, "So yeah."

It was then that the first bat flew in, the torch he carried shining like a beacon in the sky. He swooped over the Valley, and dropped it. The torch dropped to the street, sparks flying in all directions, as the bat flew back, disappearing into the gloomy light.

"Water!" Viper yelled, as she and a few citizens quickly doused the small fire.

"They are coming already?" Shifu questioned, "I didn't expect- here comes more!"

He pointed upwards, as the sky was suddenly filled with glowing balls, the light from the torches that the bats carried. They were going to try to set fire to the Valley!

"Archers, ready!?" Viper called, and behind her, several rams raised their bows and arrows, pulling the strings into a ready position.

"Fire!" Shifu called, "Fire!"

The sound of bows twanging filled the air, as volley after volley of arrows flew upwards, and suddenly, the sky was filled with dropping torches and bats, as the arrows found their mark.

But the bats that got through swooped overhead, dropping their payload on houses and buildings, and the defenders were sent scrambling to extinguish the fires that blossomed everywhere.

A group of bats, not armed with torches but blades, swept the ground, engaging in close-combat. Several archers drew their daos and axe-blades, keeping the bats at bay, while the remaining archers continued to hammer the torch-droppers.

"Shifu, the bat just keep coming!" Viper reported, landing beside Shifu, "But the archers have taught them not to carry torches!"

Shifu caught a bat with the staff of Grandmaster Oogway, slamming him into the ground, before replying, "Good, keep the defenses up!"

Viper, when it came to bats, was unmatched. Her species was designed to catch and kill bats, and therefore, a bat's instinctual response was to run from her. All she had to do was hiss, and normally that was enough to send the bats flying in all directions.

She leapt up, catching one with her tail, while simultaneously striking out with her head. Two bats fell down, either unconscious or dead. She zipped off to the next group, her body flashing like green lighting, as she lashed another bat in the head, twisting backwards, and springing into another. The bats fled, screeching away.

Viper joined up with Temutai and a small group of his rams, and together they brought havoc to the bats that came too close. Another group of bats screeched overhead, slicing their katanas downwards. Viper dodged sideways, and leaped up Temutai's horns, striking the bats from above. However, without the rest of the Furious Five, she could not keep them off forever, and she could not be everywhere at once...

Suddenly, a massive dark shape zoomed overhead, causing everyone to look upwards. The first of the gliders had arrived. The glider swooped, and banked backwards, firing their rocket-launchers at the defenders on the ground. Several explosions rocked the ground, as blue fire blasted in all directions, splitting the group of defenders as they each dived for cover. Shen had been wrong. The fire-weapons were here.

The glider swooped dangerously close to the ground, prompting the bats inside to fire the thrusters and gain altitude. Arrows flew upwards, piercing the glider several times, but they didn't have much effect.

* * *

The Emperor watched the battle unfold below him, everything moving into place like pawns on a chessboard. The Valley was putting up good resistance, but he was confident that his weapons would eventually, sooner or later, bring the resistance crumbling to it's knees.

And he would not have to wait long. Already, his gliders were overwhelming the defenses, the citizenry unable to contain the flames that were becoming increasingly numerous, all over the village. Like fire, consuming paper, the invasive forces were burning the edges of town, preparing to incinerate the entirety of it.

He turned his head slightly, watching the six warriors behind him. They, too, stared at the spectacle, unconcealed horror on their faces.

The peacock laughed at that. Where was all their bravado now? He was about to speak, but the faint sound of an explosion below distracted him, and he looked down.

Two gliders were attacking in sync, one diving, and attacking, while the other flew up to gain altitude. Several building exploded into flames, as the gliders continued to use up their store of rockets. He could just see the small figures below, running to quench the flames. However, his bats were giving them no rest, and the fire began to spread. The Emperor smiled, as the flames spread from house to house, the flames reflected in his eyes. But the flames that burned in Shen's eyes were not only reflections, they danced there of their own accord.

But then, the peacock's smile faltered, as a small red panda, who he recognized from the harbor, leaped into the mass of bats, soon joined by some snake, and sent his warriors fleeing for the hills. He hoped that the Masters behind him did not see that, or they would catch on to his lie.

* * *

The defenders on the ground fired volley after volley of arrows, and were doing a fine job of keeping the bats out of the city. But the supply of projectiles was running low, and now the archers were forced to leave their positions, scrambling along the ground in search of loose arrows. Temutai ran into the square, pushing a massive crossbow. Two of his goons loaded the ballista, a massive iron bolt sliding into place.

Such large weaponry was useless against the small bats, but Temutai wasn't aiming for the bats. He rammed his shoulder against the weapon, pointing it upwards, towards the _Iron Princess_. Another goon set the tip of the bolt alight, fire spouting from the bladed part of the projectile.

"Let us get ready to FIRE!" Temutai shouted, pulling the trigger on the ballista.

A loud whizz broke the air, as the weapon hurled upwards towards the _Iron Princess_, flying incredibly fast.

Shen was flung backwards, as the bolt impacted the basket of the airship, setting fire to the basket. The Emperor leaped back to his feet, his eyes locked on the small, but rapidly spreading fire.

"FIRE! Fire!" Shen called, "Put it out!"

He was forced to add the "put it out" because the bats, (forgivably so) assumed he was commanding them to fire the launchers.

As it was, several bats flung out, dousing the fire quickly, with the water that Shen had brought for just such a purpose. However, the experience had given Shen a scare. That proved that the defenders of the Valley could reach him, even up here. If that bolt had struck the balloon... He needed to withdraw, at least until he could gain some altitude.

A peacock's caw sounded over the Valley, imperceptible to most ears, but the bats could hear it. It was a call to abandon the attack and return to the airship. Already the airship was turning, trying to get out of range of the ballista.

The bats reacted instantly, leaving their attack and soaring upwards. Those in the gliders abandoned them, leaping out the windows, and letting the gliders crash to the ground.

Another heard the peacock's caw, one who understood what it meant quite well. Shen, sitting in the Jade palace, rushed to the windows, watching the streams of bats leave the Valley. Why had the other him sounded the retreat? Surely he did not need to recall the whole army to get the airship out of danger.

But, that caw...it was his. It was his caw! It proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that there was a doppelgänger of him on that airship. And just the thought of that was scary.

* * *

On the airship, the Shen doppelgänger, also the Emperor, strode in front of a line of bats, the captains. He outlined a new plan.

"This time, we attack all at once. The groups did not work as well as I had hoped, the citizens of the Valley were able to fight off the smaller groups. In a few hours, we will attack again, this time, united, sweeping everything before us!"

The Emperor swept his gaze over the ranks, his vision catching a bit at the chained Masters, eyeing him with an air of such animosity that it almost made him shudder. As it was, he simply sent them a haughty glare, and continued to look his captains over.

"When we strike, for the second time," he began again, "I want no mistakes. We will sweep them all away, as dust from a wind."

The Captains nodded their agreement. After a few more minutes of talking, they flew back into the depths of the ship, preparing the bats and their weapons, for the second time.

As soon as he was alone, Shen turned to his captives.

"Don't begin to think my attack will fail, this was only a temporary setback! What happens next..." Shen paused, probably for no other reason that dramatic effect, "Will be a turning point for the world."

"Or," Po pointed out, "It could be... the point when China loses one evil tyrant!"

Shen was at the panda's throat in a single leap, a throwing knife against his nose. "That is highly unlikely, panda, considering that I have an army, weapons, and a SHIP that FLIES, while THEY do not!" he hissed, "And now, just keep your mouth shut, and you MAY live to see your valley die."

The voice these words were said in was so heartless, so completely void of emotion, that it made all who heard it shudder.

"Are we clear, panda?" Shen asked, a slight smile curving the edges of his beak.

Po nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing.

"Good," the Emperor responded, turning his back on Po and pacing back to the balcony, folding his wings into his sleeves, "A wise choice, panda." he peered over the edge of the balcony, and smiled to himself.

"Oh, if only you could see me now..." he muttered. No-one was quite sure who he was talking to.

* * *

"Shen says we need more altitude!" a bat-voice screeched, "Fan the flames! Get that fire roarin'!"

"How about coming down and helping, Ghan?" Bianfu called back, as a bat with a torch ran past. Bianfu took the torch, and tossed it to Ghan. "There's plenty to be done!"

Ghan swooped down, landing next to the little brown bat. "Alright, alright, 'commander'..." he carried the torch towards a small pile of gunpowder, and thrust the flames into it. The powder ignited, but it was a small, slow fire, which gave off heat. The rising heat caused the balloon above the bats to inflate, and the _Iron Princess_ gave a small jerk, as it rose an almost imperceptible amount.

Bats elsewhere repeated the process, and the airship began to noticeably lift.

Katanas were sharpened, blades polished. Rocket-launchers were loaded, their dragon mouths being fed with the projectiles they would soon shoot. The final battle with the Valley was about to begin, and it was going to be legendary.

* * *

Shen, in the Jade palace, leaped from the window, spreading his train like a glider. The air whistled past him, and he angled his flight path to land directly in front of Viper.

Viper gave a small hiss as the white form dropped out of nowhere in front of her, until she recognized the Yin/Yang symbol on it's back.

"Shen? Did you come up with anything?" she asked immediately, "Please say you did..."

"Nothing, I'm afraid," Shen replied, straightening himself,

"But why did they leave? Did you fight them off?"

The snake frowned, a worried rattle coming from someplace. "I wish that was the case," she answered, "But the truth is, we were only just holding on. I am afraid he is simply regrouping... You have to come up with something before they come back!"

"Before I come back, you mean..." Shen mumbled absently, "I really wish I could think of something..." he drew silent, thinking about his adversary.

There was never an opponent he had not underestimated, but this was the exception. Those gliders of his were truly ingenious, nothing short of brilliant. And that airship... Of course, such was to be expected of an adversary as intelligent as this one.

But that airship, despite being extremely fragile, was what made the Emperor so dangerous. For all the resistance they could put up, that airship, flying high out of reach, was invincible. If only there was a way to reach it...

His eyes darted from side to side, a habit he had picked up a long while back. He did it when he was thinking, to watch on all sides...

Then, something shiny and large caught his eye. It took a while for his brain to register what it was, but then he realized. He had drawn a picture, a plan, more like, of this object before! It was a crashed glider... To bad it was on the ground. You would need a very high place to launch this thing...

Suddenly, it seemed like a light flashed in his head. He turned, and saw the thousand steps behind him. He looked from the steps, back to the glider, then back to the steps...

A smile found it's way across his face. He had an idea. It was crazy, but was even crazier was the fact that it just might work.

"Viper..." he called, not taking his eyes off the glider, "How many people do you think it would take to drag this thing up those stairs?"

Viper, who had been watching Shen the whole time, drew a blank. "I don't know... About ten, I suppose, if they were big people... Why?"

"Because, I believe I may have come up with something," he turned, and lowered his head, "And it requires ten large animals, this glider, a high place... And you."

"M-me?" Viper stuttered, "Why me?"

Shen frowned. "Seriously..." he muttered, before explaining, "Who else is going to get them, me? They would never listen to me. All I need you to do, is round up some large animals, have them drag this... glider, I suppose that's what it's called, up to the top of the stairs, and I should be able to do the rest."

Viper nodded.

"Oh... Of course, be right back!" she slithered away quickly, her slim green form disappearing into the gloom, leaving Shen to contemplate on his plan. The glider... his whole plan revolved around this glider, he hoped desperately that it could still fly... He dashed over to the device, checking it for damages, and to his relief, it appeared mostly undamaged. The underside of the glider seemed to be in rather bad shape, but that was passable, he wasn't going to need it, for what he had in mind.

"Shen?" an elderly voice rung out behind him, "You have a plan?"

Shen turned his head, eyeing Master Shifu somewhat warily. "I do indeed," he replied, "But don't put too much faith in it. All the same, I hope that it works."

Shifu looked to the sky, where the slightly-glowing Iron Princess was beginning to turn, rising as it did. It looked ominous.

"For all our sakes," Shifu muttered, but loud enough for Shen to hear, "I hope so too."

There was silence between the two, and a chill wind ran through, causing Shen to shiver, drawing his robes closer to his body. The gloomy evening had fell into a dark night, without the slightest trace of sunset to herald it. It was cold, and the wind only made it colder. A few leaves blew by, pushed by the icy winds.

A line of torches approached, as Viper returned, leading about seven rams, their breath showing as puffs of smoke in the torchlight.

"Alright," one of the rams exclaimed, rubbing his hooves together, "Where's this thing that needs moving?"

"Here we are," Viper called, with as much cheer as she could muster, "I could only find seven spare people... I hope it's enough."

"I'm sure it will be," Shen reassured,

while staying partly out of sight of the rams, "If this thing is supposed to fly, it must be quite light... Anyway, we shall never know until we try. Let's get this thing moving, shall we?"

The rams gathered around the glider, fastening ropes around it's front, and attempting to lift it. The glider shifted slightly, to the surprise of the rams. It WAS quite light...

Shen stepped away, and watched shiveringly as the glider was hoisted up the stairs, looking like some dead wasp, being carried by ants.

Above, the _Iron Princess_ continued it's turn, slowly, inexorably, advancing on the Valley once more. Time was now of the essence.

The glider continued to be hoisted, and Shen sat down, clutching his 'elbows' tightly, to keep warmth.

"Shen!" Shifu called, causing the bird's head to snap sideways,

"While we wait, there is still work to be done! You can get to work, helping the citizens douse the fires that still burn around the Valley."

Shen half-groaned. Water? On a freezing night like this? Of course, the fire part sounded inviting, it would be warm...

"Go with Viper, she will guide you where you need to go," Shifu continued.

...not like he had any choice.

He walked over to the snake, who looked just as miserable about the cold as he was. She seemed slightly nervous about his presence. Hmmf. She had good reason to be. For now, Shen said nothing, only shivered.

"Nasty weather, huh?" Viper smiled, with forced lightness, "Come on."

She slithered off, and Shen followed closely behind. Birds are not known for their night vision, so Shen stuck close for fear of losing her. Soon, however, he did not need night vision to see where they were going. In front of him, a burning building lit up the night with the brilliant flames erupting from the roof. Shen could already feel the heat on his face, a welcome relief.

"Here," Viper called, turning to the peacock, "Come on, let's help those people over there!"

Shen turned, seeing the snake, gesturing to a line of geese carrying buckets.

"Wait," Shen began, "What am I-"

Shen was interrupted by a goose, pushing a bucket of water into his wings. Some of it splashed, drenching the peacock with icy liquid. He shuddered, and rushed forward, pouring the bucket on a small flame. He wondered what he was supposed to do now...

Then the same goose ran up and pushed another bucket into Shen's wings, giving him another small drenching.

This continued for about half an hour. It was surreal, with the blazing light and heat on one side, the freezing cold and darkness on the other. Shen was already cold, now he was miserable, with matted feathers sticking to his skin, absolutely freezing, while simultaneously being almost burned by the flames, his white feathers blackening with smoke. His wings were aching from carrying the heavy buckets.

Shen cursed, not the cold, or even the weight, but himself. A normal peacock, he thought, would surely have no trouble with carrying buckets for half an hour, not be so blastedly weakened by the irritating smoke. This was his pessimistic nature taking over, in reality there was no peafowl on the planet who could have done what he was doing without faltering. Shen, in fact, was faring exceptionally well with the smoke, a result of all those years in a smoke-filled fireworks factory.

Still, it seemed to be a never ending nightmare, as perpetual as the endless line of buckets behind him. The fire just didn't seem to ever weaken, taking a pummeling, but still stubbornly clinging to life.

Hmm. Perhaps he shared more similarities with fire than he thought.

"Shen? Where are you? Shen?" a voice, small and echoey, bounced around in his preoccupied head. Shen only just remembered to respond, almost unconsciously looking up.

"There you are, Shen..." Viper panted, "I couldn't find you, I thought that perhaps...y'know, the fire..."

Shen blinked absently. Viper could tell he wasn't listening, dazed by the smoke. He did look awful...

"Well anyway, the thing has been brought to the top of the stairs..."

The peacock seemed to blink back from his daze, eyes clearing. "About time!" he muttered, straightening his smudged feathers, "Let's get going then, shall we? There really isn't much time to waste..."

Viper frowned. "Obviously, let's hurry. Come on!" she slithered away rapidly, her movements making rattling noises in the night. Shen followed these, while looking back at the burning house, somewhat nervously, and even a little guiltily. He was abandoning them, leaving them to fight the fire alone. But he didn't have another choice, if he did not hurry, another Shen was going to set this whole place ablaze.

The thought made him angry, as if, somehow, because he had worked with them, helped them, that they were HIS people, and no-one, NO-ONE, was going to hurt them. He wished the firefighters a silent prayer, and hurried after the snake in front of him.

The stairs of the Jade palace loomed up in front of them, no longer beautiful, but ominous in the night.

Torches lined the grounds around the palace, visible from the bottom of the stairs. For some reason, Shen only now appreciated how very high these stairs were. Why so high? It was rumored that the thousand stairs were to symbolize the thousand scrolls of Kung Fu, each step giving body to a vital secret of Kung Fu. Shen thought it was just for seclusion.

Anyway, now he trudged up the stairs, thinking about his plan. Much as he hated to admit it, he would probably need someone to come with him... And who would do that? There was no way he was going on a glider alone with Master Shifu, and he doubted that anyone else would have the skill he would need... that only left the hated snake, Master Viper.

Hopefully, he was wrong, and the glider could be piloted by one person alone.

The stairs seemed endless while at the bottom, but they flew by all too fast once he started walking up them.

All too soon, the avian and reptile had reached the top of the stairs, and Shen immediately looked around for the glider. He found it, perched at the top of the stairs like a monstrous bird.

He quickly checked it, and to his dismay, found that he had been correct. The glider was inoperable by just one person, needing at the least two. One to fly, one to fire the propulsion rockets. The propulsion rocket holsters normally contained five propulsion rockets each, but only three were filled. That should be enough...

He hopped into the glider, stooping slightly under the low roof, and examined the control system. Wires ran along the wings, which would warp them, in the same way he angled his wings to steer. Some of the wires were snapped, but they should be easy to fix... But the thrusting rockets would need someone with limbs to light... Which means that would leave Viper to steer. Ugh...

While he leaped from place to place, Shen was unaware that he was the subject of intense scrutiny. Shifu, Viper, and a few other people whispered to each other about the white peacock.

"Frankly," Viper hissed, "I'm amazed he even managed to think of anything..."

"What exactly is his plan?" Shifu asked her, "He's not going to try and fly that thing, is he?"

"I don't know," the snake replied, "I'll ask him..." she turned, and hailed the peacock. "Shen! Could you please inform us on what you are going to do? Surely you aren't going to try to fly that..."

"I'm not flying it, yet anyway..." Shen called back, leaping from the glider's roof and walking closer to the two Masters, "The wires are snapped. You will need to get someone to fix those before it will work..."

"You ARE going to use one of these...abominations? Shen, are you crazy?" Viper asked incredulously, "They are dark and wicked... They shouldn't be touched."

Shen frowned, his eyes narrowing oddly. "Dark and wicked?" he questioned, somewhat mockingly, "Who are you to decide what is wicked or not? As for the devices, they are my brainchild, created from my creative essence. If they are dark and wicked, then I am more so. I do not think they will harm me. Besides" - he shot Viper a crafty glance - "I'm not flying alone. The glider requires at least two people to fly, so..."

Viper paled, seeing where he was going. "Oh no, no no! There's no way I'm getting in one of those things!" her tone grew more and more frantic, as Shen started to advance on her, "Besides, I couldn't help you! I don't know how they work!"

Shen grinned. "Neither do I, fully. But I'm sure you could learn..." his head lowered menacingly, and his grin grew cruel, "What, if I didn't know better, I would say that the great Master Viper is scared..."

Viper's eyes narrowed, dropping slightly. Unconsciously, Shen's remark had struck a nerve. 'Great Master Viper' was the title by which her father was referred to. The title had brought his face to mind, and then the word 'scared'...

Viper, growing up, had been a very timid child, bordering on cowardice. This had stemmed from her parent's lack of faith in her, due to her lack of venomous fangs. She had resented being called 'cowardly' or 'scared', but she had known they were true. She never did anything about the names people called her then because she had been too afraid to do so. Then, when she finally overcame her natural timidity, she would fly in the faces of those who would call her scared, proving them wrong.

And that's what she was going to do now.

"What's there to be afraid of?" she questioned shortly, "I'm not afraid of anything, and I'm certainly not afraid to get in that glider!"

"Well, make up your mind quickly," Shen replied, straightening up, "It's cold out here."

"Viper, do not make your decision based on anger," Master Shifu warned, coming up the the two, "But I think that it would be best if you went with Shen. Two are always more powerful than one, especially when it comes to a fight. And Shen" - he fixed Shen in a glare, more of a concerned, almost caring glare, than a intimidating one - "if you go through with this plan, and Viper goes with you, she is your responsibility as the younger one. If anything should befall her, the blame rests on your shoulders. Think about that."

"I am well aware, Master, that what I am going to do is dangerous," Shen replied cooly, although his voice trembled, almost imperceptibly, "In fact, I do not expect to return. But that does not lessen the fact that the glider requires at least two in order to operate, and there is no other who fills the necessary requirements. I am going into a fight, I need a fighter at my side."

Shifu nodded. "Well said, peacock. But ultimately, the choice is up to Viper." he turned his gaze to the snake, his eyes piercing to her soul. "Do you wish to accompany Shen on his near-suicidal mission? If you do not choose to go, then there will be no other option other than for me to go, which I will, should it become needed."

Viper sighed. There was no way that she was going to let Shifu go out on that glider, which meant that she... There was only one choice for her, anyway. She had made her promise to Mr. Ping, and she would keep it. Was this what it felt like to Shen? To do things that you would never do otherwise, simply because there was no other choice?

She took a deep breath. "Show me how the glider works," she said, determinedly, "I'll go."

Shen half-smiled, then led her to the glider. "Well then, here we are..." he gestured to some strings, half-embedded in some kind of desk at the front, "See, if I am correct, which I usually am, these strings should steer the glider..." he gave a pull, but nothing happened.

"Hmmm... That's odd. Perhaps if I follow them... Ahhah! Here we are!" he wrapped his wings around a bar on the desk, some sort of lever, "This is much better. Simply push the lever this way..." he pushed the lever forward, and he heard a yelp of surprise from someone outside.

He pushed his head out, and saw that the smaller wings on the rear of the glider warped downwards.

He pulled the lever back, and saw the small wings warp up.

"That must be the up-down steering. Imagine, something that is steered up and down!" Shen exclaimed excitedly, while Viper watched with intense interest, "Now, for the side-to-side... " he moved the lever from left to right, and noticed the larger wings on the side warp up and down, in alternating sequence. But they didn't warp smoothly, they seemed squished, crushed almost...

PING! A wire snapped over his head, and he ducked unconsciously. Of course, the wires that warped the wings still needed to be fixed! That made sense...

"Get those wires fixed!" he called out the window, "We aren't going anywhere without steering!"

Several sounds were heard, as lots of villagers rushed to obey the order.

"Now..." Shen continued, "What do these pedals on the floor do? I hope they aren't necessary..." he stomped the left one, and noticed the vertical wing above the small rear wings warped left as well. What was that for? Turning help?

"Let's... Ignore that for now. Now, Viper, do you remember all that?"

Viper nodded. It was pretty simple, just turn the stick whichever way you wanted to go. She hoped the pedals were not needed, as she had no feet...

"How does it go?" she asked, "I mean, what makes it go forward?"

Shen gave an odd smile, and walked to the back of the glider, to the rear or the rocket holster.

"This is what, I beleive, makes the whole thing move. This is what I will be using... I just pull this fuse out... here" - he pulled the fuse from the back of the propulsion rocket - "and light it. That should fire the... Thing."

A voice floated in from the ceiling. "The wires are fixed!"

"Excellent..." Shen muttered to himself, "Now, just move us to that cliff on the side of the palace!"

The glider jerked, as it was picked up by several rams. An icy wind blew through the open windows, making both animals inside shiver.

A few minutes went by, until the glider stopped moving. Shen peered out the opening in front of him, looking over the nose of the glider. No ground met his eyes, only empty space, the rocks far below swallowed up in the darkness.

"Cutting it a little close, don't you think?" Viper's voice broke the silence.

Shen only nodded silently. He was a little at a loss for words right now. This was one of the biggest things he had ever done, and oddly enough, he was actually doing something that the soothsayer would consider worthwhile... Now, he only walked back to the rear of the glider, fiddling with the propulsion rocket's fuse absently.

Suddenly, there was a scream from outside the glider.

Far above, several glowing specks flew from the Iron Princess. It had just launched it's own gliders, starting it's attack for the second time.

Shen whirled to look at the spectacle- but forgot that he was holding the fuses. His talons scraped the ground, creating sparks... The fuse sputtered, then burst to fiery life. Shen whirled again, and tried to extinguish the fuse, but it was no use...

"CLEAR!" he shouted, "We are launching!"

The rocket flared, and the glider lurched forward, falling over the edge of the precipice. When and Viper got that sickening feeling of free fall in their stomachs... But it only got stronger, as the aircraft picked up speed in it's fall, the rockets propelling them further.

"Viper!" Shen called sharply, "Pull us up! Pull us up!"

Viper hissed frantically. When Shen had been explaining how the glider worked, it had all seemed so simple. Now, in the heat and pressure of the moment, her brains seemed to have gone to mush. Which way did you pull the stick to get the glider to go up? Pushing the stick away would be like pushing it up, that seemed to make sense...

Viper thrust the stick forwards, and the glider went from an 80 degree dive to a 90 degree dive. Shen was thrown against the control box, which was a good thing. He reached frantically out, and pulled the stick back. The glider responded quickly, it's nose rising rapidly.

"Stick back to go up, snake," Shen stated icily, putting the glider on an even course upwards, "I thought you said you understood that."

"I did, but then everything started falling, and-" Viper tried to defend herself,but Shen interrupted her.

"It's fine. Just don't forget again. Pull back to go up, push forward to go down," he moved aside, giving her the control lever again, "Now, just take us to the airship. Just yell when you need another thrust."

Shen leaped back to the rear of the glider, waiting to put the next thruster online. As he walked, he noticed something, and reversed quickly. Lined up in a row of three, rocket launchers lay on tripods pointing out the windows. Only one on the left side was loaded, but all three on the right side were ready to fire. Hmmm... Shen was just going to ram the glider into the airship, but if these rocket launchers were loaded...

He noticed some unloaded rockets in a small crate, but sadly, he had not the slightest idea how to reload one of these launchers.

Suddenly, a flash of blue whizzed past The right wing, and the glider flew through a trail of smoke. Viper looked around frantically, and saw that the _Iron Princess_'s gliders were now homing in on them, apparently having noticed that there was a glider disobeying orders and flying back to the airship. Another rocket flew past the glider, missing it by inches. Viper twisted the stick right by reflex, and the glider banked right sharply, throwing Shen into the wall. However, he didn't complain, she had probably just saved their lives...

"Man, those bats are quick on the uptake!" Viper exclaimed, wiping her face quickly. The glider hung semi-vertical in the sky, not turning at all. "Um... Shen, isn't the glider supposed to turn when you move the stick sideways?" Viper called back worriedly, "It doesn't do anything...it just rolls... AAAK!" she twisted the stick left, and the glider rolled in the same direction, avoiding another rocket.

"Viper!" Shen called, gripping the floor, "Pull us up! We can't afford to lose altitude!"

"Um... Alright!" Viper pulled the stick back, hard. Now the glider turned, banking left sharply, taking the two back around to the palace.

"Oops..." Viper whimpered, "So that's how you get it to turn..."

"Viper, straighten us out before pulling up next time!" Shen yelled, "Now, turn us back around!"

Viper complied, swinging the stick right, and put the glider into a right bank.

"Viper!" Shen called, "Hard right!"

Viper yanked back some more, narrowly avoiding two more rockets. The glider was slowing down, and all the other gliders were turning in on it's tail.

"Shen, I think we're going to need some speed!" Viper called back to the peacock, making another sharp bank, trying to shake their pursuers.

"Alright, hold on," Shen replied, pulling out another fuse, "LIGHTING!"

The second thruster sparked to life, and the aircraft picked up speed, pulling away from the pack of gliders behind them. Viper twisted the craft back around, flying past the bats in their gliders. For a second, Shen could see the line of enemy aircraft out the window, and, on an impulse, pushed one of the rocket launchers to bear, and fired.

The blue streak flew from the glider, and impacted an aircraft, sending it down in flames.

If the bats had been going after the glider before, now they really started attacking, splitting up to surround the renegade aircraft.

Viper reacted quickly, pulling up towards the _Iron Princess_. They were now flying level to it. Shen lined up the rocket-launcher, and prepared to fire- but then Viper was forced into a dive, as several blue bolts screamed past, very nearly sending them to a fiery death.

Shen pushed the launcher around, aiming at a second glider, which was coming up alongside. He could see the bats inside staring at him in confusion- then he fired, and the rival glider exploded midair, sending a cloud of fire and smoke into the cold night sky.

For some reason now, the night did not seem nearly so cold anymore, as the heat of battle took on a new meaning. Each movement could be the last, so every brain cell, every ounce of coordination, was put into each motion.

* * *

From the ground, the remaining soldiers and citizens of the Valley watched the battle, straining their eyes to see every detail. It was hard to tell exactly what was happening, all the gliders looked the same...

Suddenly, about five gliders broke from the dogfight, diving down towards the ground. The citizens scattered, avoiding the inevitable flash of blue fire that the gliders spouted from their fuselages.

"Quickly, everyone!" Master Shifu called, "Those warriors have gone out there to save us. They are risking their lives! Let us make sure that they do not go into harm's way, only for the valley they are defending to be burnt to cinders in their absence! We must FIGHT!"

A roar went out from the crowd, and the citizens, soldiers, Masters, and warriors grabbed whatever weapons were available to them.

Temutai started firing his ballista again, the fiery bolts whizzing into the sky. A glider was hit, and continued to fly around in flames, before eventually crashing to the ground. The bats that burst from it were swamped by the soldiers. Cries rang out in the night, the Valley was not about to go down without a fight.

* * *

Elsewhere, another pair of eyes were focused on the spectacle below, almost to the extent of forgetting everything else. Shen, on the _Iron Princess_, was fixated by the dogfight below him, lending all his mental powers to his fighters.

The Masters behind him saw it as well, and although there was no way they could know what was happening, there were no words to describe the incredible amount of confidence it gave them. They silently prayed for whoever it was in that glider, currently fighting it's way up to the airship.

* * *

Viper swung around, and Shen fired of another rocket. The projectile flew outwards, but it's target dodged, and the missile flew into the distance. Only one rocket left...

The two gliders flew around each other in a wide circle, each trying to get behind the other, and both failing.

Suddenly, the rival glider made a mistake, turning away from the circle, exposing it's belly to Shen. The peacock fired quickly, perhaps too quickly, as the rocket went wide. That was their last rocket, now they were helpless.

"Viper!" Shen yelled, lighting the last thruster rocket, "Point towards the airship!"

"All or nothing!" Viper called back grimly, and pulled the glider round sharply, making an all-out dash towards the Iron Princess. The rival glider twisted around midair, trying to intercept them, but it was left behind in a trail of smoke.

* * *

Shen watched the glider come nearer and nearer from the _Iron Princess_'s balcony, eyes widening as he realized that there was no glider near enough to intercept it. He dashed to the doorway to the interior of the airship, shouting something inside. He rushed back to the balcony, a bat with a rocket-launcher trailing behind him.

"Take aim!" Shen yelled quickly, "Fire, FIRE! Bring that...thing down!"

The bat took aim and fired, and the rocket flew from the launcher at amazing speed. Viper, from the nose of the glider, saw it coming, and dived backwards, leaving the controls.

The rocket slammed into the glider, squarely hitting it in the nose. The front section of the glider exploded completely, and what was left burst into flames.

But it did not stop moving. It continued on it's path, hurtling towards the airship. It was only feet away...

The Emperor leaped backwards, rushing into the interior of the airship.

The glider rammed into the side of the Iron

Princess, striking it just above the gondola, setting the balloon alight. Smoke and fire flew everywhere, obscuring sight.

Amidst the chaos, Viper dropped to the deck, rolling uncontrollably. She swept her head quickly, looking around. Neither Shen was anywhere in sight, which was worrying... But then all thoughts of that were pushed to the back of her mind, as she caught sight of the Masters, each chained to a separate post. She rushed over to Tigress, fiddling with the chains.

"Tigress!" she called, "How do I get you out?"

Tigress's eyes were wide with a joy she rarely displayed. "Viper! You're alive! Shen said that he had killed you..."

"What?" Viper said, confused for a second, before remembering. Honestly, the thought was very hard to wrap the head around. "Oh yeah, about that, Tigress, there are two Shens. Yeah I know that sounds weird, but it's true.

Anyway, I'll explain later, how do I get these chains off?"

"Po was right..." Tigress breathed, before answering, "I don't know, Viper. The only thing I can think of is to pick the lock-"

Suddenly, the _Iron Princess_ twisted, as it lost altitude due to the rapidly burning hole in the balloon. Bats screeched overhead, hurrying to attempt to extinguishing the fire. Moreover, Viper was slid along the deck by the sudden shift, landing at the feet of a pile of chains, which on closer inspection turned out to be Po.

"Hey Viper!" Po exclaimed, with cheer unfitting the situation, "There's a sword over there, in the wall! Use it to cut Tigress's chains."

Viper nodded, rushing over to the sword and grabbing it with her tail. She swept towards Tigress, but another lurch from the airship swung her towards Monkey. Regaining her course, she made her way back to the feline, and cut her chains with several strikes. Tigress dropped to the floor, chafing her wrists.

"Hurry Tigress!" Viper hissed frantically, "We need to free the others!"

Tigress only nodded in response, leaping towards the chained former emperor, Xu Nai Xan. Several burning embers dropped in front of her, and she changed her course quickly, going around. Bounding around the fiery sparks, the feline reached her target- but then she was forced into a duck, as an arrow whizzed overhead.

"What the-" she exclaimed, then dodged another arrow. Her sharp eyesight caught the form of a bat, flitting among the shadows.

Viper, still brandishing the sword, slithered up to Crane, and started hacking at his chains, trying to free him.

"Viper, go help Tigress!"

Crane instructed, "First duty to the emperor, get him out first!"

"The emperor?" Viper asked quizzically, "But-"

Crane reached his talon out, and twisted her head towards Tigress, dodging and ducking before a chained goose. On closer inspection, she realized that the goose was the former emperor of China, and that Tigress was engaged in fierce combat with about five bats!

She rushed over to give assistance to Tigress, leaping into the air. Striking a bat on the bat, she began fighting in the classic snake style, her body moving in several fluid loops, beautiful but deadly. The sword dropped, and Tigress caught it, and freed the emperor with one swipe, before leaping into an aerial spin-kick on a bat, quickly moving into a roundhouse kick against another.

Viper vaulted upwards, and Tigress used her as a whip, moving her in full circles around her body.

The bats drew back temporarily at this strange display, and the two Masters took advantage of this to flee to the other Masters. Xu Nai Xan followed them quickly.

Fire flew up from the floor, and they all felt the heat on their faces.

Tigress threw Viper and the sword over the wall of fire, then turned to the emperor. Picking him up, she leapt to the balcony, where the ground below whirled quickly, as the _Iron Princess_ began to slowly spin downwards.

Tigress turned to Xu. "Can you fly, your highness?"

Xu half-nodded. "Yes, but-"

"Then fly, fly!" Tigress tossed Xu from the balcony, where he fell head over heels for a few seconds, before straightening, and slowly circling downwards.

Tigress turned, and saw four bats diving at her. She threw herself at one, hitting her target with a flying kick, sending the bat slamming into the ground, before spinning on her toe into a second. The bat deflected her strike with a flick of his wing, before spinning his wings outwards, towards the feline's throat. Tigress ducked that, but the bat continued his attack, using the momentum of his spin to send a crashing kick into her face.

Tigress was sent reeling backwards by the force of the blow, but regained her momentum in a flash, striking her adversary with a two-handed punch. That bat floored, she instantly moved on to the next, taking him with a powerful uppercut, then smashing him back with her other fist.

The fourth and last bat landed, putting one wing in front of him, and with the other, drawing a flashing katana. The bat whirled upwards, and the katana flashed downwards simultaneously.

Tigress flung herself backwards, and a cloud of smoke obscured her view if the bat for a second.

Another sickening lurch reminded her of the fact that the ground she stood on was neither stable nor safe. Suddenly, out of the smoke, the bat reappeared, with his katana in front of him. He swung at Tigress, his speed surprising... Tigress was forced backwards, astonished by the bat's skill. He weilded his sword so skillfully...something brushed against her foot, and she swept it up, realizing it was the sword that she had used to free the emperor. She brandished it at the bat.

The bat laughed. "At last, a worthy adversary!" he cackled, "Let's make this a fight to remember!"

The voice sparked a flash of memory in the feline's brain. This was that very same bat that had held a katana to Po's throat!

"You!" she exclaimed, bringing the sword up with a swish, "What are you? Shen's General, or something?"

The bat smirked. "Ya' could say that, I suppose... But, as your panda friend would say, enough talk, let's fight!"

The two warriors lunged at each other, and the bat flew into the air, attacking Tigress with a jump attack. Tigress parried, kicking her foot at the bat's face at the same time. The bat was thrown backwards, but he vaulted himself with his katana, regaining his stance quickly.

"Ya' have some moves, sister, but now it's time to end... THIS!" he span sideways at her, moving incredibly fast. Tigress, who's style had no blocking, was forced backwards, being driven back at an alarming rate.

Suddenly, the ground cracked, and something landed behind the feline. Something on fire. She could retreat no further...

With no other option, she let out a terrifying roar, bringing a few quick blows of her own at the bat. The bat took a half-step back. Tigress, heartened by the result, began hammering the bat quickly, her blows, while not as fast as the bat's had been, executed with deadly force.

The bat was being forced back quickly, too quickly. He tripped over on his back, and only just dodged the downwards swipe of the sword at his chest.

Suddenly, several burning shards fell from the ceiling, and the bat flung himself sideways, as the melting metal spikes drove into the floor where he had just lay.

Another shard struck Tigress in the hand, sending her sword flying from her hand.

The bat stood up and laughed. "Well, I guess you-"

Several shadows flew overhead, and the bat's laughter died on his lips.

Crane, Viper, Monkey, Mantis, and Po landed behind the feline.

"It looks like you forgot something, bat!" Po exclaimed, "We are the Furious Five and the Dragon Warrior, and we don't fight alone!"

The bat gulped, and dived backwards.

The Five went after him. "Po!" Tigress called, as they leapt over a burning pile, "How do we get off this thing?"

"Um..." Viper replied for the panda, "I'm not sure how that part of the plan was to play out..."

They caught up with the bat, and trapped him against a wall.

"Well?" the bat asked, "Just kill me already, why don't ya'?"

Suddenly, several more shadows flitted over the Master's heads.

"Ghan!" a squeaky voice screeched, "Here comes the calvary!"

The Masters split sideways, as several bats flew through, joining the General.

"Took your time, didn't ya, Bianfu?" Ghan muttered.

"Yeah, sorry about that..." the smaller bat squeaked guiltily, getting into his stance, "I'll go faster next time-"

"Yeah, well forget about it," Ghan reassured, "Now, ATTACK!"

The ten bats engaged the six Masters, and the fighting was fierce. Together, the Masters were a hundred times stronger than any one of them alone, and the bats found this out.

However, the bats fought fiercely, despite their small size. They too, worked well as a team, for they had no other choice.

Mantis jump-kicked Bianfu, and the small bat was thrown back. However, another bat flew over his head, sweeping the insect off his feet with his wings, while Bianfu regained his footing. The small bat flew back into the attack- but was intercepted by Viper, being wielded by Monkey like a whip. Bianfu slashed at the snake, his blade striking one of her scales, while simeltaneously kicking her in the chin.

Viper was slid along the ground, the taste of blood in her mouth. She reared her head, and hissed menacingly.

Crane soared upwards, sending a blast of wind at the group of bats, and it worked- the bats were sent flying out of the _Iron Princess_, where they whirled, swooping back into the fray.

Crane tried to get out into the open air- but then the _Iron Princess_ twisted in it's largest turn yet, the centrifugal force sending the Masters into one wall, and the swooping bats into another. Crane was flung back with the others, and very nearly was twisted into a fiery wall-

But then something furry swept him out of the way, bringing him to the ground.

"There is no way I am watching you die again, Master Crane!" Mei ling exclaimed, helping him up, "So watch out for yourself!"

Crane brushed himself off, then leaped into the air. "Watch out yourself, Mei ling..."

The fiery dust falling from the ceiling increased, but the two warriors paid it no mind, rushing forward to give assistance to Po, who was being hard-pressed by about four bats at once.

Crane swept them into a group with his wings, Mei ling batting any stragglers with her paws (her staff had been taken from her by Shen). The bats began to rush towards the three warriors, their wing-blades gleaming...

Tigress dropped down next to Po, and grabbed him by his feet.

"Po!" she exclaimed, "Feet of fury!"

She flung him into the air at the bats, and he kicked each and every one of them with a quick succession of flying kicks. He landed, and punched the bats that fell-

Suddenly, three silver knives thudded into the wall next to him, and Po leapt back in alarm.

Shen, dressed in his once-immaculate silver robes, strode towards them, each footstep making a devilish clank.

"You may have destroyed my gliders," he said, leaping down from the balcony, "And you may have beaten my launchers, but..." he paused, engaging Mantis briefly, before sweeping the insect away with his train, "But you will not escape the airship alive!"

He dived at Po, who backflipped backwards, avoiding the knife.

Shen snarled. "The least I can do is take you down with me, panda!"

The bats rallied behind the peacock, and he rushed at the panda and his friends...

Unknown to any of them, the ropes that secured the gondola to the balloon had steadily started to burn...

Shen whipped out his lance, stabbing at Po. But it was like the panda had practiced fighting against him, it seemed that he knew each and every move he was about to do...

He swirled away, and in the second he was away from the panda, Crane barreled into his side, forcing him to stop and defend himself. He vaulted up on the shaft of his Guan Dao, and double kicked Crane in the face, but the waterfowl was able to absorb most of the force, and, using his long legs, knocked Shen off his Guan Dao.

The peacock didn't lose a beat, swishing his train at Crane's ankles, sending him off his feet. Crane saw the Guan Dao's point coming towards his chest- and saw Monkey throw it off course, sending it driving into the floor.

Crane leaped up to assist the primate, but Ghan slashed at him from the side, and he was forced to defend from the bat's furious attacks.

Elsewhere, Po ran towards the peacock, jumping in a kick towards Shen's face, but the peacock blocked it effortlessly without even looking.

Another bat forced Po away from the peacock, and Po was about to strike it, but Mei ling beat him to it, landing on the bat's head. They all leapt at Shen, but he evaded them yet again, fanning and closing his train in a blink of an eye, and rushing away-

He tripped, snagged by Viper, wrapping around his metal-clad legs. The snake hissed, but Shen only kicked her in the mouth, sending her sailing away. She lay upside-down, and Shen span into the air, several knives heading straight towards her skull.

Mantis leapt in the way, deflecting the knives with his thingies in midair.

Shen was not surprised, but he didn't slow down in the least, resuming his attack on Po.

His Guan Dao scythed downwards in a wide arc, but Po blocked it with some pole he had found, rejecting the attack.

Shen only went airborne, hitting Po in the face with his feet, but was surprised when the panda grabbed his feet, and sent him sailing sideways.

Shen stood up, and a slight trickle of blood ran down from his beak. The temperature had risen on the airship,and the entire wall behind him was on fire. The _Iron Princess_ barely hung, unsteady in the sky.

Shen looked around, and saw his bats fighting the Masters, his bats fighting the fires, his bats fighting the ropes, trying to leave the airship. But they were all failing. Shen could feel it in his hollow bones, he was done. There would be no escape for him, not now, not ever.

But he was born a fighter, and he would die a fighter.

"Pandas..." Shen muttered to himself, "Where is that panda?"

He caught sight of the large form, trying to avoid the fire that was creeping beneath their feet on one side of the gondola.

The bear and the bird met each others eyes, and all was still for a second. These two, panda and peacock, were destined rivals, but it was the prerogative of the peacock to attack. If he just did not attack, if he just stood here, then the panda would do nothing...

No. He could not stand here so idly, while his dreams went down in flames (literally). That was the path of the weak, and Shen was not weak.

He cawed menacingly, and flew at the panda, brandishing his Guan Dao, and swung it up, then used the momentum to carry it around again, then brought it down, the blade hitting the floor and vaulting the peacock over Po's head.

Po back-kicked Shen, but the peacock dodged, and began his attacks, furiously swiping and thrusting the Guan Dao, each move mingling into the next with such fluidity, that it was hard to tell where one ended, and the next...

But this was combat, and Po had no time to stop and admire his rival's form. He found himself being pushed further and further back, until, to his horror, he found himself pressed against the balcony, the cold air, and ground far below behind him. He could retreat no further...

Shen continued his rush, leaping into the air, and brought the Guan Dao down in a flashing arc towards the panda's chest. Po saw it come... And closed his eyes, leaving what happened next in the hands of fate.

And fate was with him, as the _Iron Princess_ jerked, halting Shen's rush as effectively as if he had struck a wall.

But the jerk was the final straw for the ropes. The entire gondola on the right side separated from the balloon, swinging free.

Po, Shen, the Furious Five, and Mei ling and the bats were thrown downwards. Shen used his train, and glided back to the gondola, now suspended vertically, and swinging wildly to and fro.

The Furious Five and Mei ling, however, had no wings with which to fly. They fell, and plummeted towards the ground at neck-break speeds...

Crane swooped in, grabbing a falling Mantis, then barrel-rolling next to Tigress, grabbing her with his other talon-

And then he had to let them go, as a bat swiped a katana in his face!

It was Ghan, still intent on hunting them down. Crane had no time to fight, only dodged, and tried to grab Tigress...

Ghan swooped up Mantis, carrying him downwards slowly. Out of nowhere, several more bats appeared, latching on to the falling Masters.

Crane saw Tigress get into a pose midair, and kick a bat away. The bat only flew around behind her, and grabbed her collar.

Crane suddenly realized what the bats were doing. They were helping! They were helping get the Masters to the ground safely!

He looked incredulously at Ghan, who only gave an odd little smile, and winked.

Crane called, sharing this information with the others, before setting hold of Monkey, and opening his wings like a parachute, slowing the primates fall...

* * *

Above, a white peacock stood on the balcony railing, now the floor of the vertical gondola. He could walk perfectly on terrain like this, it was what his talons were designed for. But what good would it do? The _Iron Princess_ had now began to fall in earnest, and the wind was whistling all around-

but Shen's eyes were focused on one thing, the panda that clung the railing, trying to keep a grip.

Po had managed to grab the railing as he fell, preventing him from plummeting down into the Valley. But now he was suspended there, with no way to pull himself up- and his hands were beginning to hurt. His burn marks, from when he had held the rocket Ghan had fired at him in that alley, were now beginning to show themselves, as every jerk, every motion, caused the railing bar to drive itself deeper into his burnt fingers...

Suddenly, he felt cool steel on the edges on his fingers, and looked up. Shen stood there, Iron talons and all, eyeing him with a sort of expressionless mask over his face, a mix of so many different emotions... Then, the mask dissapeared, replaced with a look of pure hate, and a gleaming silver knife... Po considered letting go of the rail, but he could never outrun that knife-

Another jerk from the _Iron Princess_, and the desision was made for him. Po lost his grip, and began to fall, at the exact same moment that Shen threw his knife.

In slow-motion, the knife shot towards the falling panda, aimed to impact his chest. He would not fall fast enough to avoid it...

Suddenly, a flash of white obscured Po's vision, and for a second, he thought he saw two Shens, standing on the balcony together... Then he fell, leaving the burning wreck of the _Iron Princess_ above him, only the air below.

* * *

"Impossible..." both Shens muttered at the same time, as the two peacocks stared at each other, eyes wide with astonishment. Ever since he had been born, Shen had been berated as a miserable little weakling, and had devoted his time to making himself intimidating, to skew that image. He never realized the magnitude of success he had achieved, until now. As he saw himself, standing before him, each Shen was terrified. This was the strangest point in either of their lives, and oddly familiar...

It was the emperor who broke the silence.

"A new enemy... How very ironic..." suddenly, he thrust his Guan Dao forward, moving it into position, "But, as I fall towards the ground to die a burning death, I don't really care about who I fight."

Shen's only response was to slowly, somberly, unfold his curved lance, bringing it into position.

The emperor's eyes widened slightly at the sight of this weapon, but if anything, it only made him more angry. How dare this... Other peacock lay hands on his precious lance? However, he knew that this was himself, deep down, but was denying it. His chest was full of an irritating feeling, so he snubbed it out by making an expiremental thrust at his opponent.

Shen deflected the attack easily, then took a step back.

"You know," he said quietly, "It doesn't have to be this way..."

The emperor drew back a half-step, and he replied.

"Oh yes it does. There is no other way. The path of the victor, and the path of the victorless. My path shall be determined now."

Shen nodded slowly in understanding. "So be it," he said, "May the fates judge between us."

The emperor gave no response, and both peacocks stood there, staring at each other.

Suddenly, the airship swang, and the ground beneath them began to twist violently, as the gondola was thrown about.

It was if a gong had been rung, snapping the two warriors from their thoughts. The emperor charged at Shen in earnest, beginning his fast, bewildering attacks, while Shen did the same. There had never been a more equal fight.

The emperor brought his Guan Dao down in a small arc, and span his train beneath the other peacock. Shen leaped over the long feathers, blocking the weapon with his lance at the same time, and whipped his own train at the emperor's face.

The gondola was whipped around again, and the two warriors had to halt their attacks to regain their balance.

Once the gondola stopped swinging wildly, the emperor leaped forward, suddenly throwing three silver knives at Shen, and then continuing the attack with his Guan Dao while the other warrior dodged, thrusting is such a way that the thrust quickly turned into a slash, arcing towards Shen's side.

Shen blocked quickly, then roundhouse kicked the emperor. The kick went home, and the emperor was flung back a half-step, before suddenly whirling his train between them, and throwing several more knives. At this range, it was a done deal that the knives would hit and kill, but for once, fate took Shen's side, twisting the gondola so that the knives went harmlessly off the side.

Shen suddenly went on the offensive, bringing his lance forward rapidly, and using the momentum to unfold into the next strike. The emperor was given no time to plan a retaliation, forced to only block and retreat, block and retreat. The blade of the lance passed the emperor close by, and the weapon twirled, giving the emperor a clout on the head with the shaft.

Shen was about to follow the move, but his strike was rejected, as the emperor suddenly leapt over Shen's head, landing behind him, and down-striking him in his back.

Shen felt the blow, fortunately it was with the shaft, and not the blade, of the Guan Dao... He whirled, his train flaring around him, giving a mystical appearance.

The emperor had never really appreciated how captivating his own train was, until it was suddenly flared in his face, stunning him. Suddenly, the blade of Shen's lance appeared from behind the display, catching the emperor off-guard. He dodged too late, the blade giving him a deep scratch along the side of his neck.

Enraged by pain, the emperor now went berserk, his Guan Dao slashing around and around, scything too fast to be seen.

Shen, realizing he had unleashed a demon, turned tail and fled along the balcony, only to be greeted by the sound of knives whizzing through the air behind him. He leaped up, barely dodging the blades, before whirling in midair and crashing on top of the emperor.

"How?" Shen asked breathlessly, "How is this even possible?"

"I don't know," the emperor replied, "I was hoping you could inform me!"

The emperor twisted, throwing Shen off into open air, then threw several more knives at him while he glided back to the balcony. Shen was able to deflect most of them, but one stabbed his left wing, and Shen dropped his lance, bringing his wing to the injury with a cry of pain.

Shen looked up just in time to see the emperor bringing the Guan Dao down in a path to split his head open, and rolled right, pivoting up on his wings and striking the emperor with his feet, but was suddenly pushed sideways by the emperor's train, and flung to the ground.

The emperor did not hesitate, sending two more knives in Shen's direction, before stabbing at him once more.

Shen dodged, and then stood up, and the two peacocks faced each other again. Shen would normally have said some taunting words, but there was nothing he could say that did not apply to him as well, so he kept quiet.

The sound of clashing steel, and an ear peircing peacock's caw, rang out again, as the two birds engaged once more.

The fight could have gone on forever, but this battle was on a strict time-limit. The airship was falling, already at only half it's original height, and now completely on fire. The ropes that now kept the gondola to the balloon at all were beginning to burn...

* * *

On the ground, the Five were dropped roughly to the ground, but in much better shape than had they simply fallen. Crane swooped into the sky, and came down again, carrying Po.

"We... We made it!" Mei ling exclaimed, then looked around, "But guys, that thing's coming down, and you don't want to be here when it happens!"

Tigress, who had been talking with Monkey and one of the bats, suddenly looked up.

"You're right! Come on, let's get out of here!"

She ran with the rest of the Five and Mei ling, but Po did not follow them.

Tigress half-turned. "Po? What's wrong? Why aren't you coming?"

Po continued to stare at the burning wreck of the _Iron Princess_, slowly bearing down on him. "N-nothing Tigress, I'm coming..." he turned towards her, and ran after her. His head continually looked back to the airship, hoping to see that other white peacock, the Shen that he had helped save, who was now trapped up there.

* * *

"Shen is up there, Ghan!" Bianfu squeaked frantically, trying to escape the larger bat's grip, "We have to go help him! We can't just stand here!"

"Look, look, Bianfu!" Ghan shouted, trying to get some sense into the frantic bat's brain, "There's nothing we can do! No sense in you getting yourself killed as well!"

"But he could need us! And we NEED him, Ghan!"

Ghan took a furtive look at the Masters, who were currently preoccupied. "I know, Bianfu... But for now, we should lie low. We aren't going to be the most liked of creatures, once everything settles down..."

Bianfu stopped struggling, and sighed. "Fine... But can we stay near the airship? Just in case?"

Ghan frowned. "Fine..." he muttered finally, "We can stick around the airship, just in case. But for now, let's get out of here!"

Bianfu agreed, and he, Ghan and a small sortie of bats fluttered away into the night sky, to wait this disaster out. Bianfu looked up, at the falling airship.

"Oh, the humanity..." he muttered, then continued on his way.

* * *

Viper dragged herself to safety, clear of the presumed radius of the blast, once the _Iron Princess_ crashed. She was bleeding from several scratches, and the insides of her mouth were bleeding, deeply cut from where the emperor had kicked her with his metal-taloned feet.

She spat, bloody spit landing on the ground in front of her. Ooh, did that hurt...

"What happened up there?" a vibration reached her inner ears, and she looked up. Former emperor Xu Nai Xan stood before her, looking down. She bowed quickly.

"Don't bow," he instructed, "I am no longer emperor, and deserve no respect as one..."

Viper looked back up. "Well, it looks like you will be getting your empire back anyway..." she reassured, "And in my mind, and the minds of my fellow warriors, you never stopped being emperor."

"That is comforting," Xu muttered, "But I do not deserve any respect. I poured the blood of my armies out like water, to uselessly defend me and my sorry skin. I am no better than he..." Xu gestured to the fiery blot in the sky, the burning remains of a once-mighty airship.

He looked back down to Viper. "Tell me, Master Viper, how did you get on the airship? What happened?"

Viper looked from side to side. "It's a pretty weird story..."

"I like odd stories."

"Then you should love this one," she replied, "I swear, it's true though..."

"I will take you word for it," Xu stated, "Now, please tell me the whole story."

Viper sighed. "Well, the first thing you should know, is that there are two Shens..."

* * *

Meanwhile, the two Shens clashed again, blades flashing rapidly against each other. Both peacocks were steaming, the manifest prognostics of exhaustion creeping up on them.

The goals of the warriors had changed, both were now fighting a losing battle against the fire, hampered by each other. They now were fighting each other desperately, trying to finish him so that they could concentrate on escaping. But there was no escape. Gliding was impossible, the gondola was thrashing far too violently, to jump would be like throwing oneself under a falling hammer.

The emperor tripped Shen up, then tried to stab him while he was down, but Shen swung his train under the emperor's feet, bringing him down. They grappled on the ground, reduced to their natural beaks and feet. The emperor kicked with his metal talons, but Shen swiped across his eyes with his wings, blinding him, and causing the emperor to miss his kick, and go sprawling to the floor.

Shen straightened, and gasped heavily, breath coming in rasps. The emperor lay still, slowly bringing his head up, and looking backwards at Shen. He was shocked, stunned. He could not beat this demon, this one who could not be taunted, for he was one and the same with him... The emperor dropped his eyes- and then they widened, seeing before him the lance of Shen, discarded sometime in the battle... His wings drifted over to it, just touching it...

"H-how...did you do it?"

Shen stopped, and looked at him, suddenly overcome with an insane sense of de-ja-vu.

"How did I do what?"

"You know... How did you get here?" the emperor questioned, "WHY are you here? Why would you be trying to stop ME?"

Shen pondered a while, then replied. "Because I had to."

"But why?" the emperor implored desperately, "Why would you have to stop me? I- we, have been dreaming of this, since forever. Why would you want to stop me?"

The emperor's tone rose with every word, his temper rising. "How could you have done this!? How could you turn your back, on everything? HOW COULD YOU BE SO BLIND?!"

Shen straightened, and sighed. "I am not blind... In fact... My eyes have only just been opened."

The emperor said nothing, only sagging his head.

Shen stooped, looking around at the flaming wreck around him, searching for some way to escape, but their was none.

Suddenly, a crack! Shen toppled forwards, very nearly lapsing into unconsciousness. He turned, and saw the emperor, holding HIS lance! Shen rubbed the back of his head gingerly, before dodging sideways, avoiding a second strike with the shaft of the lance. Another backflip, avoiding another blow-

But then Shen felt the world twist, and he tottered backwards, suddenly overcome by a familiar dizziness.

"Not now!" he hissed sharply, trying to regain his balance, but it seemed like the word had turned to water beneath him, he couldn't grip, couldn't walk, couldn't think-

The emperor lunged forward, pivoting on the lance, and delivered a terrible kick to Shen's side. Shen was flung off the gondola, where he fell down, and the gondola swang into him like a sledgehammer. The emperor watched him fall, end over end. The ground was no longer that far below...

Suddenly, there was a loud snap, as the ropes holding the gondola to the balloon finally snapped, and the gondola separated from the balloon, and plummeted down after Shen.

Shen thudded on his back, landing hard. Pain coursed through his body, and he tried to stand, but his accursed dizziness caused him to collapse on his back again. He lay still, watching the fiery gondola fall towards him, ready to crush him.

So this is how he was going to die, crushed beneath the burning remains of his crazy doppelgänger's creation. Time seemed to slow down, as images of his life flashed before his mind's eye. As he saw it, all of it. It seemed so ironic to him, that once he finally achieved redemption (of a kind) he now would die. Perfect timing...

But he could not help but think, that by looking at his life, that there was something missing, like he hadn't done something...yet. Like he still needed to do something...

Something white floated by. Snow? Shen blinked, and saw that it was a rose petal. A white rose petal.

_"Shen..."_ a phantom voice floated over to him, reminding Shen of Nehsa. But, while her voice filled him with loathing, this one filled him with... Comfort.

_"Shen, listen to me!"_ the voice said again.

Shen started, looking up at the falling airship. It was frozen, not moving at all... And that voice... Sounded just like his father.

_"Shen,"_ the voice listed, _"Shen, listen to me. Can you hear me?"_

"B-baba?" Shen asked, speaking to the air, "Is that you?"

_"Yes Shen, it's me,"_ the voice replied.

"Oh..." Shen murmured, looking down, suddenly scared, "What are you here for?"

_"I came to see you, Shen,"_ Ti'phan's voice floated down, _"I came to see what you have done."_

If Shen had been scared before, now he was terrified. "Oh... It's awful, isn't it? I failed, and now I'm dying" - he suddenly looked around, seeing no-one there - "Either that, or I'm going insane..."

_"No Shen, you aren't going insane,"_ the voice reassured, _"And what you have done... Is wonderful."_

Shen looked up sharply, although there was no-one there. His eyes widened. "W-wonderful? But I failed! I hurt people! How is that wonderful?"

_"No Shen,"_ Ti'phan's voice said soothingly, _"You risked your own safety, to help save people that you didn't even know. You succeeded, saving the lives of countless others... From the most terrible adversary of all- yourself. And now, you are facing the consequences of your change of heart, and don't even regret it. That, Shen, is not failure."_

"But... I still failed. And you were never proud of me before," Shen replied, and fiddled with his sleeves nervously, "What made you change your mind?"

_"I never changed my mind, Shen,"_ Ti'phan's voice called over.

"Oh..." Shen mumbled.

_"I have always been proud of you,"_ Ti'phan continued, _"And you could never fail in my sight, Shen, never. __And now, I am going to tell you something that I should have told you, long before, and maybe, if I had only told you this before, instead of putting it off, then perhaps none of this would have happened... But I'll tell you now..."_

Shen suddenly looked up, as his father's form materialized before him, wings outspread.

"...that I'm proud of you, Shen, I'm very proud of you. And I'm sure your mother is too..."

Shen felt a lump forming in his throat, and traces of tears forming in his eyes.

"...and Shen," Ti'phan continued, "I love you. I loved you, always..."

"I know, the soothsayer told me," Shen informed, trying to dry his eyes, and failing.

"That is no replacement for me telling you myself," Ti'phan replied, laying wings on Shen's shoulders, "And I should have said that earlier, instead of... Like this.

My time here is almost done..."

Shen, despite himself, found a small smile creeping to his beak. "Baba, how are you enjoying heaven?"

Ti'phan smiled back at him. "It's wonderful, Shen, but I can't tell you more than that. You will have to find out for yourself..."

"I guess that will happen soon enough..." Shen muttered, looking up at the airship, still frozen up there.

"Not as soon as you think, Shen," Ti'phan reassured, "Now, I will be going soon, so... Oh, I delayed this for far too long."

Ti'phan suddenly embraced Shen in a hug, pulling his son closer to him. Shen did not resist, instead burying his head in his father's feathers, and cried the world away.

"There there, Shen, it's alright..." Ti'phan comforted, although there were phantom tears in his eyes, "It's alright. Now, Shen, you must be strong, I cannot stay much longer, so remember... I love you Shen, I love you. Remember that, Shen... Remember that."

Shen closed his eyes and kept them closed. When he opened them, he was once more lying on his back, staring at the falling gondola. But now, as he stared down the fiery mass, he no longer felt afraid, but peaceful... He had come so far, and now he finally had the thing he most wanted: recognition from his father.

He stood up, wobbling a little because of a sudden surge of dizziness, but standing nonetheless. He could already feel the heat from the plummeting gondola... But he closed his eyes. If the panda could do it...

Inner peace, it is said, can be found through great hardship, great patience, or great suffering.

Shen had done all three.

Shen had starved for weeks, not eating for days at a time, during his thirty-year exile.

He had waited, for the same thirty years, to take what rightfully was his.

He had suffered, trapped in the tortured confines of his own body, and moreover, his own mind.

And now, he had overcome it all. During the last year, he had made amends with the panda that he had tried to kill, and been his downfall, renounced his pride, learned to trust, learned to care, gained a conscience...

The white rose petal brushed past his face, and he smiled slightly.

... And befriended and earned the belief of a kitten.

If anyone deserved inner peace, it was him.

His foot traced a circle on the ground, and his wing moved over his head. The motions came naturally, not even consciously. They just... Flowed.

Inner peace... Inner peace...

Shen opened his eyes and looked up at the falling gondola, his mind clear, and his movements precise. The gondola fell closer, the lower side hitting the ground near to the peacock. Shen could see the emperor standing on one side...

Inner peace... Inner peace... Shen's train opened behind him...

Perhaps it was the light, of perhaps it was the wet ground he had landed on. Regardless, something amazing had happened...

Shen's train was no longer red, white, and black. Where the red rings had been, the iredescence had vanished, and there now were rows of black rings, leaving Shen's train black and white.

Shen span around, to face the falling fiery death, his spin revealing the Yin/Yang symbol on his robes, the black-and-white train flowing around him...

_A warrior of black and white..._

The other side fell directly towards Shen. Shen waited till the last second, then grabbed the gondola, pushing it up.

The momentum from the other side caused it to flip, carrying Shen up with it. For a few seconds, the gondola was balanced vertically, with Shen standing on top, and the emperor on the bottom.

The emperor looked up, unable to believe his eyes. His other self had used inner peace to do that! All at once, he realized that he had been terribly deluded. There had been nothing keeping him from his destiny. It had all been a lie, a trick of the mind...

At least he fell to a worthy adversary, and not some stupid panda...

Shen felt the gondola beneath him begin to fall, straight towards the emperor. It was too large to dodge... The emperor smiled slightly, and bowed. Then the gondola fell on him, swallowing him up in fire...

Shen leaped off the gondola, suddenly utterly exhausted, his inner peace gone, and his dizziness returning.

He flopped on the ground, and lay on his back. He had done all he could... Now all he could do was watch the massive framework of what was left of the _Iron Princess_ come crashing down on him. It came closer and closer, swallowing up everything else in his field of vision...

Fate was with Shen, causing him to lose consciousness to his dizziness, sparing him the sight of the massive balloon crushing him.

The last thing he saw was was orange light, then...

Black and white.

* * *

_Author's note: Phew, what a LONG chapter! Seriously, this chapter is twice as long as any of my others... Anyway, there you have it. Shen finally defeated himself. Rather poetic, don't you think?_

_Oh, and there was nothing magical about the red rings on Shen's train turning black. Peacock's trains get their color from something called 'structural coloration' which means that the feathers have grooves on them that break up the light, making them appear colored, when in reality, they are brown or black. In the firelight of the battle, there was not enough light to split, and Shen's true train color was revealed, turning him into a warrior of black and white._

_Go science!_

_Anyway, thanks for reading. Please, PLEASE review this chapter! It was SO much work to write and post, so any feedback is appreciated._

_That said,the next chapter will be sorta a final chapter, and epilogue mixed together._

_Until next time, goodbye!_


	47. Loose ends

Chapter Forty-Eight

The fire burned over the Valley, visible for miles. It would probably take days to go out completely, although the citizens were doing everything they could to put it out.

All that was now left of the seemingly omnipotent airship was a charred metal frame, crumpled and twisted. Everything possibly flammable had been completely annihilated, vaporized ash drifting for acres. The tattered remains of gliders lay sporadically cluttered, like dead birds after a snowstorm.

The wreckage of the Iron Princess had been searches for bodies or survivors, but none were found, having been completely burnt. Po, shifting gingerly through the ashes, had found a blackened and charred piece of metal, which on second inspection, had turned out to be the blade of Shen's lance. That brought emotions and memories back to the panda, emotions and memories that he never thought would be associated with the peacock, the one responsible for nothing less than a genocide on his race.

But he had come so very far since then... To the point of being able to use inner peace to re-angle a falling wooden, fiery gondola. Yes, Po had watched that, and seen Shen's black-and-white train...

All those years ago, he went out to stop a warrior of black and white. And that warrior... Was none other than himself!

How very fitting. The person most in control of one's destiny is yourself. Although, Po had to agree, he had never seen it demonstrated on such a magnitude. Shen had killed, KILLED his doppelgänger, although it was mostly survival... Emperor Shen was undoubtedly dead.

The gondola had crashed down on him, and then the gondola had burned, then the balloon landed on top of that... But Po had once thought the very same thing about the very same peacock, only to have been wrong. You could never be sure.

But, something told Po that this time, he was not wrong. The emperor Shen, ambitious, cruel, cunning, and incredibly intelligent, was dead, both metaphorically and in reality. He had taken China, but in his greed, decided to reach for the one jewel that was out of reach... And that spelled his doom.

The attack had left the Valley reeling, but it's ramifications would affect all of China, if action was not taken quickly. China was now without ruler. Shen had been emperor, and Xu had not yet retaken the throne. Hopefully, he could be put back into power before any revolutionaries figured out that there was a power void...

Po walked back to the hospital, where several people lay in crisp white sheets. Po nodded to Viper, who's head was wrapped like a mummy. She made a muffled sound, but Po didn't understand what she had said. Almost all of the Five were in here, and even he had several bandages wrapped around his burnt hands.

Po made his way to the back, seeking out one particular person, holding the charred remains of the lance. He stood around the door, a seemingly forlorn aura issuing from it. He pushed the door open, and walked in.

Shen lifted his head, a somewhat dazed expression fading from his face at the sight or the panda.

Po looked around the room. It was clean and comfortable, but bare. Shen looked well taken care of... But very, very alone. Public opinion of the peacock was varied, as many of the people in the Valley knew that he had helped, and masterminded, the rescue mission, but they all knew that he was also the one who attacked. This created a lot of confusion, and until it was sorted out, the citizens were staying away from him.

He also looked like he had gone through a meat grinder, his feathers somewhat patchy, his clothes torn, and several deep scratches all over his body. But at least he was alive...

"So," Shen began, squinting at Po, "The doctor tells me that you saved my life..."

Po pursed his lips. "Yeah.. I did. You were unconscious or something, and the balloon was about to fall on you..." Po faded off, remembering the smoke and fire filling his lungs, as he dragged Shen out of the way of the falling airship just in time. He didn't really know what had come over him, as he rushed towards the peacock. He guessed it was just his natural instinct to protect-

Or maybe he felt that Shen had come too far to die now. If he died then, he would have died a villain, no-one ever knowing what he had done.

"...so I just, y'know, ran in and pulled you out of the way," Po finished.

"Aaahh..." Shen breathed, taking a deep breath, "Thanks, I suppose. I really should have thanked you before... Before everything."

"Oh, it was nothing!" Po exclaimed, "I'm the Dragon Warrior, helping people is my job! Besides, you were awesome out there..."

"Me...awesome," Shen muttered, "There are two words not associated with each other very often."

"Well you were!" Po cried, waving his arms, "I saw you. You did the inner peace thing! I can't believe that you did that!"

"That makes two of us, panda," Shen stated blankly, "I honestly could not believe it either..."

"You were like FWOOSH! Then SHWAAHH!" - Shen rolled his eyes, doing a mental facepalm at the panda's antics - "And then your tail opened, SWOOSH! And... It was black and white, and then you swirled around, doing the 'warrior of black and white' thing-"

"Wait, Po, what was that last bit again?" Shen interrupted.

"Your train was black and white," Po repeated, "What, you didn't notice?"

"No, I didn't..." Shen whispered, then lapsed into silence, proccessing the information. Po tried to gauge his expression, but his thoughts were a mystery. Finally, the peacock spoke.

"I saw my father..." he muttered, almost whispering, "Call me crazy, but I saw my father. He came to me, while the gondola was coming towards me..."

Po had suddenly grown serious. "You are lucky, Shen," he said, wiping his brow, "I'm worried about MY dad... I don't know where he is, or if he's safe..."

Shen didn't really know what to say, so he remained silent.

Po suddenly remembered something, and handed Shen a charred piece of ashy metal.

Shen took it with an air of disgust. "What is this THING, panda?" he asked, a little harshly.

"That, peacock," Po replied, "Is all that's left of your lance."

Shen blanched, and looked up at Po quickly. "My lance? The one that I-"

Po nodded.

"Oh..." Shen mumbled, and ran his wingtip along the metal. It was no longer sharp, crushed almost beyond recognition. Shen felt a lump almost forming in his throat. He had been through so much with this lance... It hurt to be finally holding it's broken remains.

Then he suddenly smiled, tossing it into the air and catching it.

"Oh well," he said half-cheerfully, "It will make a good crutch, until I can melt it back down..." suddenly he darkened, looking into Po's eyes, "Besides, I won't be needing a lance where I'm going, will I?"

Po was confused. "Where are you going, Shen?"

Shen looked down, snowy white wingtips fiddling with his bedsheets. He was supposed to be an aristocrat, dignified and controlled at all times. Right now, he felt more like a whipped dog.

"I-I'm being deported, Po, back to the royal city," he began, keeping his eyes on the floor, "To face charges for... For attempting to take China by force, and threatening people, destroying homes... Among others."

Po blinked. "But you didn't do any of those, Shen!" he exclaimed, slamming his fist, "That wasn't you! Why will you have to face charges?"

"Do you honestly believe they will listen to that?" Shen spat scornfully, then softened again, "All they know is, that a white peacock who called himself Shen took China, and a white peacock who calls himself Shen has been found in the Valley of Peace. They aren't going to listen to the truth. I wouldn't either."

"That's awful!" Po cried, making a fist and punching his palm, then leaping up and down with pain. He had forgotten about his burnt hands...

"It's fine, panda," Shen reassured, "I have learned something during this whole experience. And that is, that there is no crime that goes fully unpunished. If... If execution is the way I must pay for my crimes... Than so be it."

With this last statement, Shen lapsed into silence.

Even Po had nothing to say.

* * *

The cool morning breeze wafted through crisp, fresh air. The breeze curled like fingers through grey feathers, moving with an almost musical rhythm in the air. It was a refreshing and beautiful morning, but cloudy. The weather mirrored the mood of former (and soon to be present) emperor of China, Xu Nai Xan. He had several things on his mind, but the most pressing was the matter pertaining to the white peacock, Shen Lee Han. Xu had been told the fantastical truth about the attack, and knew full-well that no-one would believe that. He was not sure that he believed it himself...

But Xu was a fair person, and despite the fact that there was no person in China he hated more than the white peacock, if this peacock was not the same one... Then he was willing to let his anger go.

His ancestors would hate him for what he felt compelled to do. His citizens would probably lose faith in him. But it was the right thing...

He decided to call the red panda, Master Shifu, to ask about the peacock's punishment...

O-O-O

Xu was appalled, but not surprised. This peacock had a LONG and painful history... But he could see the hurt in it. But that did not justify his actions, not pay for the lives of all those innocents...

But who was he to say what paid for the lives of the innocent? He, himself, had ruthlessly sacrificed his own armies without thought, because he had no other choice. Perhaps that had happened to Shen...

Anyway, as it stood, Shen faced exocution, and he, Xu, was the only one who could currently stop the death of an innocent life...

But did he deserve saving? Perhaps it would be better for everybody if this peacock was just put down...

Xu nodded slowly.

This desision was easy, Shen should die. Xu decided to go and see this peacock, and, perhaps for the first time, actually converse.

Xu turned, and walked down the path towards the hospital.

Opening the door, he walked up to the nurse behind the counter.

"Excuse me..." he said, waiting for the nurse to turn to him before continuing, "I understand that you have Shen here?"

The nurse nodded. "He's here, sir."

"Good," Xu affirmed, "Now, where can I find him?"

"Down the hall, last room on the left. Can't miss it," the nurse replied.

"Thank you..." Xu nodded, before following the nurse's instructions, walking down the hall, and stopping in front of the door. He paused a few seconds, then walked in.

There was already a panda in the room, who stood up and bowed quickly.

"Don't bother," Xu instructed, "I just want to speak to the... Peacock."

Shen looked at him quizzically, his ruby eyes locking the emperor's.

That was all it took for Xu to make his descision, in that one second, making up his mind. He had locked eyes with this peacock before, and it had given him shivers...

"Shen?" he asked, by way of greeting.

"In person..." Shen replied, tilting his head, "What is it you wanted?"

"I hear that, according to the red panda, and the laws of the land," Xu began, sitting down on a seat provided, "You are to go to the royal city, face charges, and be put to death." Po was about to interject, but Xu silenced him by raising his wing, "Is that... True?"

Shen frowned slightly. What was this goose doing here? "You probably already know," Shen growled, "But yes, it is true..."

Xu shifted uncomfortably in his seat, which was obviously not made for waterfowl, then placed his attention back towards the peacock.

"Do you know who I am, Shen?" Xu asked.

"I have an idea," came the reply, "But why don't you save us both the suspense and tell me?

"Very well," Xu answered, "I am Xu Nai Xan, former emperor of China. If all goes well, I will be placed back on the throne as soon as possible..."

"So I was right," Shen whispered beneath his breath.

"... and once I am there... I will be the one to judge you," the goose finished.

"But Xu... Your ex-highness... Um..." Po interrupted, trying to think of what the goose's title should be, eventually deciding on 'sir', "Um, sir, Shen didn't do any of those thing-"

The former emperor raised his wing again, interrupting the panda.

"I know that, panda," he informed, "Your snake comrade told me the whole story. And that" - he turned back to Shen - "brings me to my last question. Did you commit any of those crimes of which you are accused, during the last two months?"

Shen sat upright, regarding the goose with an air of... Well, no-one could tell what that air was. It was just too strange.

At last, Shen answered. "I did not. As far as I know from the charges, I personally have not committed any crimes since Gongmen."

"Ah, yes, Gongmen..." Xu muttered, then looked up, examining the cracks on the wall, "The red panda, Shifu, told me all about that. You should consider yourself lucky that no-one (aside from the rhino, and a few wolves) was actually killed during your, shall I say, illegal takeover of the city. However..."

Xu continued to stare at the cracks on the wall. It was quite unnerving.

"However... When the tower fell, that was another matter entirely. Several people must have been killed when that happened..." he looked sidelong at Shen, to see what his response would be.

Shen sighed slightly, his brain clicking, but not really coming up with anything. The 'it was self defense' seemed extremely pathetic now...

"I am aware of that..." Shen replied finally, "And I am aware of the ramifications. Nothing will ever condone the loss of a life... Nothing. I am a murderer.. My purity has been stained red."

That did it for Xu. He stood up, and eyed the peacock again. "Shifu told me what I already knew, the punishments for the actions you have taken," he looked Shen up and down, and continued, "But I think... I think you have been punished enough." he turned, and left the room, the ramifications for what he had just done echoing in his mind. But he couldn't have honestly done anything else. All it had really taken, was to look into Shen's eyes. They were clear and intelligent... and most certainly not the eyes of the peacock he had locked eyes with a month or so ago. But now, he had practically given his word...

Back in the hospital room, both the peacock and panda were staring at the door that Xu had just walked through.

"What was that all about?" Po asked quietly, "What did he mean by it?"

"I know what I THINK he meant," Shen replied, "Of course, he is royalty, his words are hard to gauge... But I hope that I was right."

* * *

Evening drew over the Valley like an inescapable blanket, giving the sky a final surge of heavenly pinks, before fading away into night. But the night is beautiful in it's own way, the perfect dome of the heavens stretched across an expanse of sky, or the way every tiny light became clearly visible, lending an air of mysticism to the nighttime hours.

At least Mei ling thought so, as she sat by the peach tree of heavenly wisdom, overlooking the valley, and the lands around it. She was leaving tomorrow, going back to the Royal city with Xu. Perhaps she could rebuild the academy, call it the 'Mei ling Kung Fu academy'. Yes, that certainly had a nice ring to it. But she was still leaving, and that was why she sat here now, taking in as much of the Valley's atmosphere as she could, before it became too late. One often never realizes how very beautiful something is until you look back on it, and Mei ling never wanted to miss out on something because she had not paid attention.

The valley was beautiful, but no longer untouched, there were still the remains of the airship lying around. They added a sinister look to the place, and Mei ling was sure that those remains would become a bandit's hideout for years.

Slow wingbeats reached her sensitive ears, and she looked up with consternation- then looked down quickly again.

Crane spread his wings, slowing his fall, and gracefully landed next to the mountain cat. He said nothing, only stood next to her, admiring the view.

But to Mei ling, the silence was worse than a scream. Why couldn't he just be angry with her and get it over with? She had been avoiding him ever since the whole airship fiasco had drawn to a close... Because she couldn't stand to be around him, not because she disliked him... but because she was afraid of him, of what he would say. On her last conversation with the waterfowl, she had admitted some rather... sensitive feelings for him... And he had never had the chance to reply to them. Perhaps he had forgotten, but how could one forget something like that?

"Beautiful view, isn't it?" Crane spoke at last.

Mei ling started, and pursed her lips. "Yeah, yeah... Nice country you got here," she stuttered, "Very... Uh, peaceful."

"Hence the name," Crane replied slowly, "Mei ling, are you feeling alright? You are just acting weird."

Mei ling stiffened. "No, no, I'm feeling fine, just fine! I'm not acting weird at all, not at-"

Crane fixed her with a gaze, and she deflated. "All... But seriously, I'm fine..."

"Good," Crane continued, grinding his beak thoughtfully, "About the airship..."

"Yeah, that was pretty crazy, right?!" Mei ling answered a bit too quickly, putting on a cheesy grin.

"More specifically, about what you said about me on the airship, or about us," Crane replied slowly. Mei ling could not tell, but he was forcing every word out through his beak with a sledgehammer.

"Oh, that..." Mei ling mumbled miserably, "Well, you know, spur-of-the-moment, emotions-flowing, stuff like that. Don't..." she was going to say 'don't be offended' but she decided on, "Don't buy too much into it."

Crane stood in silence for a while, continuing to grind his beak. But silence, like all things, must come to a close.

"So," he said calmly, "Did you mean it?"

Mei ling could suddenly not speak, all that came out were garbled stutterings. But that would not save her, as Crane turned his head, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Did you really mean what you said?" he asked again.

Mei ling fumbled for a moment, then nodded quickly.

"Really?" Crane asked, raising his eyebrows, "You DID mean it?"

"YES, Crane!" Mei ling half-shouted, finding her voice at last, "Do I have to say it a thousand times? I meant it! I meant it! And any time I say 'I love you' in the future, I'll mean it then, too!"

Suddenly, she stopped, surprised with her outburst, and clapped a paw over her mouth.

Crane's head had bent back while she was shouting, and now he straightened up, looking into her eyes once more. He was smiling, his deep blush hidden by the dark light.

"Well then," he said, placing his wings on her shoulders, "You are going back tomorrow, aren't you?"

Mei ling nodded, still with her paw over her mouth.

Crane moved her paw away with his wing, and continued to stare into her eyes. Mei ling was getting very, very nervous, and very, very impatient, but for what she had no idea.

"Well, in that case," Crane continued, "We should enjoy each others company while we have it. Come, I'll show you the town."

Mei ling's eyes widened. "Crane?" she asked incredulously, "Are you asking me out on a... Date?"

Crane shrugged. "You could call it that, I guess..."

"Wow..." the feline breathed quietly, then looked back into Crane's eyes, "I accept your invitation. Show me what the Valley has to offer."

Crane smiled, and took her by the hand, leading her away from the Jade palace and down into the village...

A mantis hopped out of the grass, and rushed back to the palace.

Monkey needed to hear this!

* * *

Time passed as it always did. Mei ling journeyed back to the Royal city, where she did indeed begin work on the 'Mei ling Kung Fu academy'. Crane had been sad to see her leave, but he concealed it; he would not stand between her and her dreams.

Besides, she already knew how he felt. He had a very eventful night with her, returning quite late- but not late enough to avoid the banter from Mantis and Monkey (how they knew, he had no idea). But he had taken it all in stride, until they started asking about, 'when to expect the first child'. That had blown the lid. It certainly said a lot for their character, if they thought that any outing alone with a female would end in THAT.

Let's just say that Mantis and Monkey didn't try that again.

Xu Nai Xan had also returned to the Royal city, placing himself on the throne without too much trouble. China was once more stabilized and safe...

But Shen stayed behind, confined to his hospital room. The Masters of the Jade palace were uncomfortable having him in their valley, but could do nothing until Xu summoned him to face charges. Shen did not await that day with the same anticipation as they.

Rumors had began to surface, that Shen was a demon, who could be in two places at once... whose white feathers would bring death upon those who behold them. Several stories were spread, but there really was nothing you could blame the makers for, the whole thing was a very strange affair.

It was a cloudy Tuesday, when the supposed summoning letter arrived in the mail, addressed to the Jade palace.

"Here, that must be from the emperor," Shifu stated, taking the scroll, and opening it, _"To the esteemed and venerable Master Shifu of the Jade palace, here is an imperial decree regarding your prisoner, the former Lord Shen Lee Han..."_ Shifu's eyes widened, as he read the letter, then read it again, to make sure he understood it correctly.

"Master?" Tigress asked softly, "Master, is something wrong?"

Shifu turned to the feline, holding the scroll out to her, "I don't understand this... There must be some mistake, here, read it for yourself."

Tigress took the scroll from Shifu, and read it. When she had finished, she looked just as surprised as Shifu. The scroll was quickly passed around, but only two people seemed happy about what it said, and only one seemed somewhat unsurprised.

"I don't believe it!" Viper exclaimed.

"This is awful, man," Mantis groaned, "Now what are we going to do with him?"

"Master Shifu?" Tigress questioned.

Shifu stood in silence, contemplating something. He suddenly turned to face the tiger.

"I don't know, Tigress, I just don't know," he answered, "But that is a choice for a later date. For now, someone really ought to tell him the news."

No-one needed to ask who the 'him' was.

Shen was sitting on his windowsill, his magnificent train, it's red hues restored, draping behind him. He felt clean, since he had recently bathed, something he had not been able to do for a while. His feathers were once more a snowy white, instead of the patchy, ashy shade of grey they had been for the past weeks.

But he felt clean in a different way, an inside kind of clean, as if his heart had been washed, along with his feathers. His heart felt, if not completely renewed, at least as if the black rust had been removed.

But that raised new questions. His heart was no longer black, but it was certainly not white either. Shen didn't know what shade it was now. In short, he felt lost, not quite sure where to go, which way to turn. At least, while the smoke of madness had surrounded him, he had known exactly where he was, and what was expected of him. He had known exactly what he needed to do. Not so now, as he knew not where he stood, or which way was the path he wished.

But he didn't even know what he wanted. He had no ambitions to work towards, and now, his only feeling was one of... Emptiness. Of course, this was a useless exercise, as he would soon be called to face his charges... And then die.

The peacock shivered, remembering the feeling of cold, clammy fingers wrapping around his soul, pulling him out of his body, and out of his world.

The embrace of death. Shen was one of the few people to have experienced that, and he didn't like the experience. He had been sent off to Hades last time, he couldn't help but wonder where he would go if he died now.

But Shen seriously doubted that the heavenly overlords would allow for him to be sent back to life, only to have him die again. So, he would just sit, and let this problem work itself out-

Suddenly, the door opened, and Master Shifu walked in stiffly, accompanied by Viper, Tigress, Crane, and Po.

"Shen," Shifu began, in a way that meant that there was a lot more coming, "We received the letter from the Royal city that we have been expecting..."

Shen leaped off the sill, and cocked his head. "Oh... Shall I get going, then?"

Shifu frowned, lapsing into silence.

"You aren't going anywhere, Shen!" Viper exclaimed excitedly, sending a small smile in the peacock's direction.

"I-I... I'm not?" Shen asked, confused, "But... What did the letter say?"

Shifu answered. "For reasons unbeknownst to me, Shen," he said, "The emperor has acquitted you on all accounts. We are to regard you as if you have committed no crimes."

Shen said nothing, only raising his eyebrows.

"You have a clean slate now, Shen!" Po added, coming forward a little, "You are free!"

"At least officially," Master Shifu reminded, "I think that the populace may have a harder time dealing with you than did the royals."

"Really?" Shen said quietly, "So... What now?"

"The letter says that," Shifu replied, "While you have been forgiven officially, you are still under our charge. We Masters of the Jade palace will decide what is going to be done with you."

"Oh, and here I though I was going to live," Shen muttered under his breath.

"I assure you, we will be completely fair," Shifu continued, flicking his ears, "And... This new development will be brought into consideration. Thank you for your time."

Shifu, Crane, and Tigress turned and left the room. Po and Viper followed, but slower, leaving Shen with a friendly goodbye wave.

Shen gave a half wave in response, not quite sure what else he was supposed to do. The room was left in silence...

Silence, except for the screaming of his own thoughts.

* * *

Shifu was alone, listening to the silence around him. What was to be done with Shen? Who knew. What would Oogway have done?

Shen had changed, and now he was free... And also quite the hero as well. News travels quickly in the Valley, and as soon as news got out of the emperor's pardon, the citizenry had suddenly remembered that he was the one who came up with that plan to help save them. For the very first time, Shen had fans, and even though they were somewhat half-hearted, general opinion of him had risen greatly. Shen himself, however, was still as reclusive as ever. Perhaps he just needed bringing out... Whatever the case, Shifu must reach a decision soon. He could not expect the peacock to stay confined in his hospital bed for long...

He wished that he could speak with the emperor, so that the goose could explain his reasoning for wiping Shen's slate. Perhaps, if he could hear that, some guidance could reveal itself... But he could not.

Shen... Why did this peacock cause so much trouble? He had already caused twice as much trouble as Po... And that was saying something.

How would Oogway have responded? Shifu knew the answer to that one... As thoughts of Taotie, Fenghuang the owl... And himself, came to mind. Oogway would have taken the peacock in, offered him a place with him...

But that was ridiculous, Shen would never fit in with the other Masters... Tigress hated even the mention of his name. The other Masters may eventually get used to him... But Po and Viper would probably not mind at all.

But what would Shen want? That was not up to him, but it still should be taken into consideration... Perhaps he could be sent out on his exile, to continue where he left off... But then he would be free to go wherever he pleased, bringing his aura of chaos with him.

Things seemed to happen around that peacock, things beyond comprehension... If he was going to be anywhere, he was going to be somewhere where Shifu could keep an eye on him. But that brought him back to his original quandary. What to do with Shen!?

Really, this wasn't his choice to make, at least alone. He would have to consort with the Five and Po, they would have a large say in the matter, but him having something to back would certainly make things easier... Tigress certainly would not back anything that he did not.

Turning, he went inside, to gather the Masters.

It only took a few minutes for everyone to gather, and Shifu explained the situation. Of course, they already knew exactly what was going to be discussed, and were ready.

"I say we should let him into the palace," Po suggested.

All eyes turned to him, and he winced. "What? It would only be temporary, until we're really sure he can be allowed out into the world."

Shifu blinked at the panda. Why hadn't he thought of a temporary setting?

"That is a good idea, panda... I'm surprised I didn't think of that."

Tigress's eye twitched slightly, showing her annoyance for that idea. She would not speak against anything that Shifu said was good, but she certainly was not going to endorse it.

"Um... Shen is a villain..." Mantis piped up, "We can't go around letting villains into the Jade palace..."

"We all could be villains, through different eyes," Crane responded, his head cocked, "The truth is, our hands are as bloody as his."

Tigress HAD to reply to that! "The blood that we spill is not the blood of innocents, Crane," she reminded coldly, "We kill so that others may live. He only kills for his own benefit."

"Killed..." Po mumbled, then explained, "Shen KILLED for his own good. But really, who are we to go around saying about how important the 'now' is, when we don't live it ourselves?"

"I say we should let him in!" Mantis exclaimed, "If for no other reason than too keep an eye on him. Monkey? What do you think?"

Monkey thought. He knew what the others, particularly Tigress, would think of him for this, but he knew what Oogway would have wanted for him to do. Monkey himself had been taught a hard lesson in compassion. In a way, he and Shen were alike, outcasts from society. But while Monkey turned to causing trouble, Shen turned to darkness and destruction.

"I think... I think that we should let him in."

Shifu looked around, surprised by how fast this was going. "Tigress, Crane?" he asked, "That only leaves you. I think I already know what Viper would choose, so the decision lies with you."

Tigress said nothing, only staring at Crane coldly, to see which way he would bend.

Crane felt the gazes of everyone on him at once. Bother...

"I think... I think..." he stuttered, forcing himself to think clearly over the options, "I don't really know, I mean, as long as it's temporary, and Shen really has changed-"

"Oh, he has!" Viper interjected, then clapped her tail to her mouth, "At least, I'm pretty sure he has..."

"Then I don't really see why not," Crane continued.

Tigress twitched slightly, her eyes burning holes in the avian, who turned away quickly.

"Tigress? You are the only one to have not spoken yet," Shifu said, turning to the feline, "What is your opinion on the matter?"

Tigress sat in silence for a while, then answered. "You all have made up your minds, I can't say much against that, can I?" she said icily, each word enunciated angrily, "I-I will forgo my opinion. It doesn't matter what I think anyway. Do what you think best, I will go with whatever you choose."

Shifu glared at her a little for her tone, but continued anyway, "Very well. A decision has been made, Shen will be allowed into the Jade palace, at least temporarily. What he does then is up to him."

"Let's go tell him!" Viper hissed, a little too cheerily for her own good. She had secretly hoped that this would happen, perhaps, if Shen could learn to get along with the other Masters, he could forget about what she had done to him.

He was still quite cold to her, as he was with everyone. Only with Po did he ever show the slightest ounce of warmth...

She literally felt a cool breeze waft past her, as Tigress walked by, her face hard and stony.

...just like some of the other people here. That panda had an odd ability to squeeze the goodness out of a person who seemingly had none, almost like squeezing a stone and getting water. She wished she had that ability, she had been trying ever since she arrived at the Valley of Peace to get some emotion out of Master Shifu, only to have Po come, and in the space of a week, accomplishing what she had never been able to do in fifteen or so years.

Anyway, she now looked up, and found that the palace was empty. They had left her behind while she had been thinking! What was with that?

She hurried out the palace, trying to catch up with her fellow Masters. Why did they ALL have to go? When she caught up to them, she realized that they hadn't all gone. Only Po, Shifu... And Tigress, had gone. Tigress made her a tiny bit nervous, she knew that the feline's attitude towards Shen was less than shining...

A sigh escaped the snake's lips. It seemed that, everywhere she turned, relationships were being renewed or created. Crane, of all people, had somehow managed to get a girl to have feelings for him (she wasn't quite sure how she felt about that, a little... jealous, perhaps?) and Tigress... she had finally managed to renew her relationship with her foster father. She must have realized how much he meant to her while on the airship...

But Viper... the sweet, charming, and friendliest member of the Five... her friendships had all been ground to powder. Tigress, her best friend, now considered her, if not an enemy, then a rival. Her betrayal of Shen had exposed her betrayal of the Five. If only Shen could prove to them all that she had NOT made a mistake by helping him, then perhaps she could make a step towards regaining the trust she had lost.

But honestly, she thought that Tigress was being a little too grumpy. Sure, Shen shot Po out of a factory, tried to shoot him with a cannon, destroyed his birthplace, taken Tigress and her friends prisoner, and been really creepy, but he had also SAVED them, and the Valley, and all of CHINA, for crying out loud! Didn't that show that he had changed?

Of course, that was his only act of redemption in their eyes. They couldn't be expected to know about the other ones.

* * *

Shen was in the middle of nothing when Shifu, Po, and Tigress stormed in, Viper trailing closely behind.

He stood up quickly, brushing his tattered and dirty robes. Not that it would do any good, but Shen did that by force of habit. He really could use some new clothes, he had worn this one for almost a year.

"Greetings, gentlemen, Viper," Shen nodded, "May I ask the reason for this... Intrusion?"

"You may," Shifu replied, standing directly in front of the white peacock, "Me and the Masters of the Jade palace have come to a decision regarding your future."

Shen sighed. This red panda seemed to enjoy dragging things out.

"Your going to stay with us, Shen!" Viper exclaimed from the back.

Shen looked from her, back to Shifu in confusion.

Shifu sighed. "If that is what you want, we have agreed to allow you to stay at the Jade palace, at least temporarily."

Shen's eyes widened, and searched the red panda's for some sign of a joke. But none was found.

"Really?" he questioned incredulously, "You are willing... To allow me... to stay with you? You all agreed to this?"

"You may stay with us, if that is what you choose," Shifu answered gravely.

Shen's eyes darted to the group, his eyes resting on Po. The panda was nodding emphatically. He looked back to Shifu. "Why, I'd be honored to stay at the palace with you... I accept your offer, Master..."

Tigress growled slightly at the peacock referring to Shifu as 'Master', but she kept her feeling to herself.

"Well then, Shen," Shifu continued, "Gather any belongings you may have. While you are with us, you will be treated as a student. Is that acceptable?"

It wasn't really a question, there was only one correct answer. But Shen couldn't care less.

"It is perfectly acceptable, Master," Shen replied, his eyes almost glowing, "Perfectly..."

"Very well. Bedding will be arranged on your arrival," Shifu informed, "Be at the palace in two hours. We will leave you to gather... Any belongings you may have."

Shifu took a step back, going to the door. "Do not be late," he said. And then he was gone, not as if he walked away, he just dissapeared.

Shen was left alone with Tigress, Po, and Viper.

"So, do you even have any belongings?" Viper asked.

Shen smiled wryly. "No, not really, unless you count my 'crutch'," he gestured to the remains of his lance.

"Well anyway," Po said slowly, "I'm looking forward to seeing you around the palace..."

Shen nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the striped feline.

The two were locked in some kind of staring competition, peering intently into each other's eyes.

Eventually, Tigress was distracted by Po walking between them.

"Whoa, Tigress, what was that?!" Po asked, a little angrily, "There's no need for that kind of glare."

Tigress only fixed her glare on Po, and after a few short seconds, the panda flinched, and took a few steps back.

"Ahh... I should catch up with the others," he said nervously, "Bye!" he zipped down the hall, disappearing from sight.

"Hey, Po!" Viper shouted after him, then sighed, exasperated, "Come back here!" she turned to Shen, "Excuse me, while I run off after Po..."

She slithered off after the fleeing panda, her shouts and calls echoing back to the peacock and feline.

Shen was left alone with Tigress. The peacock shifted uncomfortably, his train rustling behind him.

"So..." he began, turning to the feline, "You must be pretty surprised, the way this all turned out..."

"There's the understatement of the year," Tigress muttered, her face remaining monotone.

"It seems like it must have been an accident," Shen continued, eyeing her warily.

"There are no accidents," Tigress replied, a little angrily.

"Only mistakes," Shen finished.

"Mistakes..." Tigress mumbled, then straightened, "You want to know about mistakes? Master Shifu doesn't often make mistakes, SHEN," she took a step forward, enunciating each word like a hammer, designed to crush the poor peacock, "But I think that letting you into the Jade palace is a rare exception. I will not go against his decision, but" - Shen found himself backing up before the female tiger, as she advanced on him, step after step - "I will not let you off. You make one mistake, you will hear from me about it. And if you give the slightest intention of returning to your old ways, I will TEAR you limb from limb. Are we clear?"

Shen, at a sudden loss for words, only nodded.

"Good," Tigress continued, straightening up again, "If you want respect, Shen, you must EARN it."

"I have every intention of doing so, MASTER Tigress," Shen snapped, finding his voice at last. His train flared up behind him, "But what about you? What respect do you ever get?"

"I have all the respect I need," Tigress replied coolly.

Shen half-laughed. "Are you so sure of that, Master Tigress? Or is your 'respect' actually fear?"

Shen had struck a nerve. As a carnivore among rabbits, pigs, and goats, Tigress was indeed extremely intimidating to the villagers, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to shake their fear.

Now, she leaped forward a step, her claws mere inches away from Shen's face.

"The genocidal warlord certainly would know a lot about being feared, wouldn't he?" she snarled, her eyes like burning coals, "Now, you try an outburst like that again, and I might just forget about what Shifu, or the emperor, said. No-one would miss you, Shen."

"Wouldn't they?" he retorted, pushing his beak further upwards, "I think someone would..."

Tigress retreated as if she had been stung. "I don't know how you poisoned her mind," the feline said, going to the door, "But you won't do it to anyone else. I will make sure you pay, if you do anything more to her!"

And she was gone, running off down the hall.

Shen flopped down on his bed, breathing heavily with a strange mixture of relief, fear, and excitement boiling in his veins.

That tiger certainly was... intense, wasn't she? And who had she meant by 'her'? Who knows. But Shen was disappointed with himself, and his temper. It was going to get the better of him one day... he was supposed to show that he wasn't the peacock he used to be, and now it looked like he had gone and disproved it. It just seemed like everything inside him rose up at the challenge, spoiling for a fight. He was a fighter by nature, he would stay a fighter until the day he died.

"If you want respect, Shen," the peacock said to himself, "You must earn it."

He sat up, and looked around. He had nothing to pack, but he could use some new clothes...

He had two hours, he might as well use them.

Standing up, he went to the door, and tentatively pushed it open, and walked down the hallway to the hospital front door. He looked, around nervously. No-one had stopped him yet...

He pulled the door open, and walked out, taking a deep breath of fresh air. The fires had long since disappeared, and the Valley was once more filled the the bustle of life.

The peacock strode forward, each step trembling with a mixture of nervousness and determination, from under the shades of the hospital, and into the light. Several eyes turned to him, but he pretended not to notice their stares, instead pacing down the street, looking for somewhere that sold decent clothes.

"It's him!" a young-sounding voice rang out behind him. Shen froze.

"I'm telling you, that's the peacock!" the voice squealed again. Shen decided to continue walking, as if he hadn't heard.

"It is not," another voice said, louder than the first, "There's no way you could have seen him."

"It is too!" the first voice replied, "I'll go ask him!"

Shen continued walking, hearing scuffling behind him. Eventually, he had enough. He whirled, flaring his train, to face his two pursuers, ready for a fight-

And saw two young bunnies, one brown, and one white. Shen relaxed, his train deflating. He was seriously paranoid...

"I'm sorry sir! He's just real little, and-" the brown rabbit tried to bail, but the smaller, white rabbit interrupted.

"Are you Lord Shen?" she asked quickly, "I think you are, but ma' older brother doesn't think so."

Shen smiled, a little awkwardly. "No, I'm not-"

"See! I told you!" the brown rabbit interrupted, "I told you it wasn't him."

Shen bristled. "Didn't you ever learn that it's rude to interrupt?" he asked the older rabbit, a little harshly, then softened quickly, "No, I'm not LORD Shen, just Shen. I'm not a Lord anymore."

"See! I told you! I told you!" the white rabbit said triumphantly to her mortified brother, "I was right..." she turned back to Shen, "Your not a Lord anymore? Why not?"

Shen sighed. Children and their nosy questions... How do you politely excuse yourself from a group of children?

"No, no, I'm not a Lord anymore," he began haltingly, "Just a disinherited prince."

"I think that a Prince is better than a Lord," the bunny said cheerfully.

"Why?" Shen asked, confused, "A Lord has far more power than a Prince."

The rabbit thought for a while. "I guess..." she said finally, "I think that Prince just sounds more romantic than Lord."

"Oh," Shen muttered, half-smiling at the notion of him being romantic, "I suppose that's true..." he looked around the marketplace, then back to the two children, "Listen, you wouldn't happen to know where I could find a place that sells good clothes, would you?"

The older, brown bunny steppe forward. "I know one! If you go down that street, over there, then turn left, then walk forward three steps, then turn right, walk forward fifteen steps, and go left. Then you will find it."

"Er... Thanks," Shen muttered, turning to leave, "I think."

By following the child's less-than-clear instructions, he had somehow miraculously found the store that he was searching for.

He walked in, ignoring the manager's surprised stare, searching the shelves for something he liked. He eventually found something, it was a robe, pure white, with designs in silver. It was not silk... But it wasn't like it had to be. If he could go around in a tattery, dirty, Yin/Yang robe, he could wear something that was not made of silk.

"That would look good on you," a quiet voice spoke from behind him.

Shen turned, and saw a female goat, who obviously worked here, standing next to him.

Her name was Bei Su, and she had worked here for several years, and served several strange people, but this white peacock that stood in front of her was certainly one of the very strangest.

"I think so," Shen muttered, grinding his beak, "I believe I will purchase it, if it doesn't cost too much..."

"I believe you will find the price quite reasonable," Bei informed,

"That robe is one of the easiest to produce, the material is very cheap, and since it has almost no dye..."

"Tell me, do you have anything in silk? Belts, or sashes, anything like that?" Shen asked. He had an emotional attachment to silk, he had worn it for so long... He wanted something silk on him, to serve as a reminder of sorts, even it it was only a belt or sash.

Bei smiled. She had guessed, from her customer's appearance, that he was someone of high birth. That he would want silk did not surprise her. Besides, the silk was more expensive, she would receive more pay. "We do indeed," she replied, "There are some fine belts in silver, perhaps you would be interested in?"

"I shall see," Shen answered.

She led the peacock to a pile of sashes, and gestured to a shiny silver one. Shen picked it up, feeling the material with his feathers. It certainly felt nice, sliding between his wing-feathers...

"I'll take this, and that other robe," Shen informed Bei, "How much will they both cost?"

"That will be...fifteen yuan," the goat replied.

Shen was surprised by the low price. In Gongmen, the same goods would have cost twice as much. He checked his pockets-

And found that somewhere between Gongmen and here, his money had escaped from his pockets. The only thing in there was...

"Tell me," Shen asked, "Do you trade for steel throwing knives?"

* * *

It had taken him roughly two hours to find the clothes he wanted. Shen wondered if Shifu had given him that time constraint for that very reason.

Whatever the case, Shen felt an odd mixture of embarrassment, (over his new, rather un-fancy clothes) pride, (over his renouncing of his need for silk clothes) and excitement and fear, over his current destination.

He looked up, seeing the stairs to the Jade palace. So this would be his home, at least temporarily. He was entering a new life, with new feathers, and new clothes, and even a new city to go with it. He would have to train with Masters, one of which hated his guts, and the others would at least be unfriendly. Perhaps, one day, he could somehow attain a Master status himself. But that was unlikely. Shen would probably not fit in here for a very long time. It was, after all, only going to be a temporary stay... How long would temporary be?

Shen would be an outcast, having to hard gain anything he wanted. Only with much work would he ever actually be accepted.

Few stories have a happy ending. More often then not, stories endings are sad, or else they never end at all. On first glance, one would think that this was one of them.

But that one would have to remember, that this was not the end. This was only the beginning of a new tale. This, was the return of Lord Shen.

Shen took a deep breath, and walked up the steps to the palace.

* * *

_Author's note: And there you have it. This is the whole story. I don't think that I wrapped it up very well. Oh well... _

_There is going to be a pause before I write anything else. I feel a little drained. Seriously, try to find another story this long, written in so short a time? (I know one, it's Shen's General's 'Between brothers' story. Go check it out, it's a Legend of the Gaurdians: Owls of Ga'hoole fanfic, and very well written.)_

_Anyway, there WILL be a sequel, check my profile to get a sneak-peak, but first, I will be writing a continuation of defiant-candle's Drabble collection. I think I may need to learn how to multi-write._

_Until next time, goodbye! Thanks for reading, and special thanks to my reviewers! There is really an amazing amount of reviewers for this story!_

_**Thanks to: Anatariss, Collie from CollieandShire, and Alpha Tiger, for their continuous support.**  
_

_**Shen's General, for his continuous support, and helpful suggestions.**_

_**Robinrobert, Woodpecker, Lorsi, Kirbygirl-something, and everyone else who reviewed, for reviewing.**_

_**And to everyone who followed/Favorited this story, special thanks to you!**_

* * *

Wind whistled through their fur, effortlessly cutting through the robes they huddled towards their bodies to keep their warmth. Snow was everywhere...

A large ear turns back, and a sorrowful head looks back on the Valley. They had all accomplished so much...

A single snowflake drops down, catching into brown fur.

Snow.

White, pure, pristine snow.

Beautiful, pure, delicate... And deceivingly deadly.

A brown finger carefully lifted the snowflake up, in order to get a better look at it. It was so intricate, so symmetrical...

Just like someone else. A certain white peacock.

The creature darkened, at the thought of the bird, who had taken them all in.

"Bianfu! Hurry up!" a voice floated back over the air.

Bianfu turned, and crushed the snowflake mercilessly, throwing it in disgust. Wiping his fingers, he flew off into the wind.


End file.
